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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28821090">So don't say you love me, fala, "amo"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoslaura/pseuds/chaoslaura'>chaoslaura</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Bobby | Trevor Wilson Defense Squad, F/F, First Kiss, Friends With Benefits, Idiots to Idiot Lovers, M/M, No beta we die like Sunset Curve, Pansexual Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie lives with foster parents, Smoking, Underage Drinking, for the american readers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:53:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28821090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoslaura/pseuds/chaoslaura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Reggie was content to let Luke keep thinking that instead of finding out the real reason, but he couldn’t help leaning in closer and laying his head on Luke’s shoulder and breathing in the familiar scent that lingered underneath the cigarette smoke in the blue fabric of Luke’s cut off hoodie. Just one more minute and then he would slip back into his role, pretending nothing had changed between them in the last months and Reggie was all good. He was always god. Perfect."</p><p>Or<br/>Reggie, living with his foster family doesn't think anything good will ever happen to him, or rather wouldn't accept it happening to him. But when Luke turns out to be more like a crush than a friend and they experience their first kiss at a party, Reggie isn't so sure anymore what he wants.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Flynn, Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The end of a friendship and perhaps the start of something more</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The idea for this story came up to me and then I wrote this chapter in three days, giving it all the angst it deserves. I put the rating on Teen but if you think I should change it with the following chapters let me know.</p><p>So Reggie's parents were bad enough that he ended up in foster care. In his current family there are two other kids, they're younger than him but he calls them his brother and sister because he loves them. I thought it would be another take on his family situation and needed to write it down.</p><p>They are all alive and well and in a band in modern time, all around age 18, going to the same school, being friends with each other. I will incorporate the others a bit more in the next chapter, this one focuses mainly on Reggie/Luke. </p><p>After saying all this, I hope you enjoy reading this :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neither Luke nor Reggie could tell how it all happened. Or would rather leave out some details when retelling the story to their friends when being asked about it. They could remember most parts of it, the important ones, but not how it started or how it ended really. And good for them that no one yet asked them because honestly it was a bit embarrassing and Luke would only stammer out parts of words and Reggie would twist it around to a joke to avert everyone’s attention but it would not work because Alex could be rather persistent and Bobby had that stare down where you could only squirm until the words came tumbling out your mouth. </p><p>So, it was to say Luke and Reggie were lucky to have not been caught yet. Which was honestly a wonder, they weren’t stealthy per se, and they were a few moments they barely avoided an encounter with their friends that contained a more or less clothed Reggie or Luke. But it worked until now and they weren’t stopping now not if Reggie had a say in this.</p><p>A party kicked it all off. Some stupid high school party with too loud mediocre music and cheap alcohol and kids who couldn’t dance good and it all was just a typical weekend. But no matter how shitty the parties were, the people still attended and so did Julie and the Phantoms. </p><p>Bobby was always ready for it, loving the people and the attention he got out of it, mostly from the girls. Alex needed the distraction from his otherwise boring life, his family and church, and let loose once in a while when drumming didn’t do the job. Luke was using every party as a way to get their band more notoriety, it wasn’t like he carried around a stack of business cards, but his charm worked equally as good. Reggie legitimately liked the parties even if he never would outright admit it. But the loud drumming of the bass was filling him and pushed out every other bad thought that was occupying his mind until it neared overcapacity, but the alcohol drowned that out too.</p><p>It could’ve been Gin or Vodka, but it didn’t matter when you had too much and could be hanging over the toilet any minute now. But Reggie was definitely revaluating his life choices as he groaned next to Alex who only patted his shoulder instead of letting out a characteristic <i>I told you so<i>. Alex wasn’t that much of a drinker (except when he drowned shots like no other but remained upright as the last of all), saying he liked to be in control of his body and didn’t like for his surroundings to spin, so he acted as the supervisor when the night neared its end, collecting all the members of their band and bringing them home in one piece. </i></i></p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke was stealing cookies Emily made every weekend from the kitchen as a thank you, Bobby was inviting him for dinner once a week when his grandmother cooked her special, and Reggie was letting him in late at night when Alex needed a change of scenery from his own room.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>They would all do it nonetheless, but Alex liked to let them believe it was a mutual interchanging. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>But it didn’t change anything about the situation Reggie found himself in. Leaning on a giggling Alex while the world around him tilted dangerously and he had to try hard to stay upright and he knew Alex would criticize him in the morning for his choices but would bring him a big cup of coffee too to show his sympathy. Reggie was already anticipating the bitter taste on his tongue, so different to the taste that was currently lingering there. He mumbled something half coherent to Alex that indicated he was off to the kitchen and got searching for something else than alcohol to rinse out his mouth. Hopefully there was some juice in the fridge. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Before he could make a find, someone was dragging him out the room on his elbow and Reggie got dangerously close to tipping over and just stay lying on the floor. But he managed to stumble all the way outside till he could make out the person who kidnapped him from his mission. It was Luke. How he stood in the porch light, barely illuminated from the small light and the dark night sky behind him it was difficult to avert the gaze, so Reggie found himself staring longer than it was appropriate. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You looked like you needed some air.” Luke said as he sat down on the stairs, slightly more steady on his feet as Reggie, so he put a hand on Luke’s shoulder when he sat down next to him to not risk falling over or worse on Luke. He would very much survive the evening without any embarrassing mishappenings and stories to be told later to their friends while they laughed about him. No, thank you very much.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Couldn’t hurt. Thanks.” Reggie replied and gave Luke a smile and indeed took a deep breath. Inside the air was filled with smoke and the smell of sweat of dancing teenagers and cologne of boys who thought it would increase their chance to get with a girl no matter how greasy they acted. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke then rummaged through his pockets and came up with his pack of cigarettes, taking one out before offering the open pack to Reggie. “Want one?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I thought we were here for some air?” Reggie asked with a raised eyebrow. If he wanted to smoke, he could as easily do it inside like all the others. But then he couldn’t get to gaze at Luke from the side.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke chuckled shortly. “Sure, but it will help sober up and you look like you can’t go home without throwing up at least once and we don’t want that.”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Grumbling (because Luke may or may not have spoken some truth), Reggie took a cigarette before Luke shoved it back down in his pocket again. However, it could fit with his tight pants. Honestly, this boy shouldn’t be allowed to wear such things or Reggie would be caught staring at one point and no one could blame him. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’m not that of a lightweight. Can’t help it that you’re chickening out on anything more than beer.” Luke was lending him his lighter as Reggie always misplaced his. Even though it was mostly Reggie who could be found with a cig between his lips he was prone to misplace everything including his lighter. Alex always had one in his fanny pack, but Luke also carried one with him for the small chance he fancied a cigarette himself. Mostly on parties nowadays.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>The music behind the door droned on but outside it was eerily silent without the traffic at this hour and Reggie could hear Luke breathing in before letting the smoke out and it shouldn’t be as captivating as it was, but Reggie couldn’t hold off his staring, not until Luke turned his head his way and Reggie spun around to avoid being caught. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Am I that pretty?” Luke asked with a sly smirk and <i>dammit<i> Reggie wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was.</i></i></i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>He couldn’t think of anything better than “Uh”, and Luke fully burst out laughing. At this point Reggie wasn’t so sure if it was about him or at him but either way, he loved the noises coming out of Luke and no matter how, he loved making Luke laugh.  </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>“Come on I’m just making some fun of you. You don’t have to answer, I know I’m good looking.”</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Now it was Reggie’s turn to tease. Luke’s ego was big enough as it was and didn’t need any more material to feed it. “Oh, are you now? Who said that? Your imagination?”</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Luke scoffed. “All the girls that have been looking at me tonight.” And if that didn’t make Reggie jealous. Of course he knew how Luke made an impression on girls no matter where they were going, but most of the time Reggie avoided crashing in any situation that proved Luke to be a woman’s man. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Letting his head hang down and taking a drag from his cigarette, Reggie just nodded without any idea what else to say. Until Luke nudged him with his shoulder because they sat that close and Reggie looked up again, only to find Luke’s face incredible close too. Or the alcohol clouded his mind so much his eyes weren’t functioning right. His eyes zoned in on Luke’s parted lips, and Reggie should definitely stop staring at his friend or said friend would find out sooner or later that Reggie wasn’t as straight as he pretended to be. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Him not talking raised suspicion from Luke. “Hey, are you alright? We can find Alex and he can take us home if you want.” Always concerned about his wellbeing Luke noticed Reggie’s absentminded state and thought he was just too drunk to hold any real conversation. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Reggie was content to let Luke keep thinking that instead of finding out the real reason, but he couldn’t help leaning in closer and laying his head on Luke’s shoulder and breathing in the familiar scent that lingered underneath the cigarette smoke in the blue fabric of Luke’s cut off hoodie. Just one more minute and then he would slip back into his role, pretending nothing had changed between them in the last months and Reggie was all good. He was always good. Perfect.</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>But when a few seconds passed a hand cupped his chin and raised it so Reggie met another pair of eyes that was staring right into his and Reggie couldn’t help but notice the plethora or colours shimmering in them, almost too distracted to notice the other hand slipping under his leather jacket to hold onto his side. Luke must have discarded his cigarette before he made the move. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Reggie didn’t dare to do the smallest movement like swallowing or breathing more than necessary. The hand under his chin moved a bit up to his cheek and Reggie could feel the warmth spreading through his skin, Luke always was a human radiator, he wasn’t even wearing anything besides his tank and the hoodie and Reggie felt slightly overdressed in his shirt, flannel, and jacket. But he wouldn’t complain about the bare skin he was seeing. When his attention wouldn’t be so focused on Luke’s face.</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>“Reg?” Luke breathed out, barely a whisper, but Reggie was so close that he could hear it anyways, the words hitting his lips before anything else because of the few inches between them. Reggie could barely concentrate enough to process the question and think of an answer. And then remembering he had to say it out loud too.</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>“Yeah?”</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>“Is this okay?” </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>How could Luke ask that when Reggie was so pliant under his touch. When this very moment was everything Reggie could hope for. If he wasn’t misreading things and oh how much he hoped that wasn’t the case at all. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>But then Luke used his hand on his cheek to pull him closer and a pair of lips pressed on Reggie’s and for a short moment Reggie was overwhelmed, his brain blaring alarm bells, not really understanding this was happening after dreaming about it so often. It took him a second before he reciprocate the movement and slotted their lips together again and again while the kiss moved from something slow and sweet to something much more passionate in a matter of seconds when Reggie poured all his longing into it that he felt the last months. The hand on his side grabbed him more firmly and the hand on his cheek moved in his hair, tugging at it before Luke used it to press them even closer together.</i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Coming up for air shortly, they both looked at each other before continuing almost frantically as if the moment could reach its end any second and they would never get the chance to taste each other’s lips ever again. And it was way too good to end this when Luke’s erratic breathing, and Reggie’s small moans were anything to go by. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Reggie had his hand twisted in Luke’s Shirt on his chest using the force to get closer to the boy and he was sure it would leave wrinkles in it and Luke would look even more dishevelled and Reggie was loving it. But when the doorknob turned and the door flew open, Reggie used his grip to shove Luke away from him, he himself sliding a few inches back. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>Shoving his hands in his jacket and quickly taking a drag, Reggie looked up at whoever was interrupting his good time and found Alex standing in the doorway, Bobby closely behind him. Luke in the meanwhile ignored everybody’s stares and fished for another cigarette as he discarded the other way too early and he needed to calm down or everyone including oblivious Bobby would read in his face what they had done. Luke had always been bad in hiding feelings, especially in front of his friends and their scrutinizing looks. </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>“Time to go home boys.” Alex announced and interrupted the silence that hang between them. Reggie licked once over his lips, tasting the remains of the kiss, <i>of Luke<i>, before getting up, this time without any help. The kiss had been more sobering than the nicotine and he felt more awake than ever.</i></i></i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>-</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>As predicted, Alex was waiting with two cups of coffee with their respected names written on it on the bench in front of Reggie’s house the next morning after sending him a wake-up message. It had taken him three starts before he rolled out of bed, throwing on his flannel and walking light footed out of the house. The pink hoodie wasn’t hard to spot and he sat down next to Alex, instantly taking his drink, eager for the caffeine while gazing at the beach before them. The sun was long up, and the morning joggers were at home already sitting with their families eating lunch. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“How’s your head?” Alex asked while sipping on his own drink, but contrary to Reggie looking much more awake, like he hadn’t been on a party yesterday but instead done a self-care day.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Reggie groaned and hoped it was answer enough. “How is Willie?” He asked instead.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Still in his bed. His sleeping habit is as bad as Luke and yours.”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Hey, you’re the one who texts me at 2 in the morning asking for a chat, be glad I’m awake.” He light heartily joked but then, “Did you get home at all?” Reggie gave Alex a curious look. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Alex shook his head. “Nah, doubt my parents would appreciate seeing me sneaking in in the morning hours, reeking of alcohol and smoke, you know?”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Reggie nodded understandingly. Not because his foster parents would show the same reaction, but he knew the Mercers. “You’re probably right. What did you tell them where you spent the night?”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“This time? At yours. Last time I told them I was at Luke’s and before that at Bobby’s.”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“So, I take it they still don’t know about Willie?” When the coffee made his way through his system, Reggie found it easier to hold up the conversation with Alex. Or because he didn’t take his jacket and the breeze from the sea was chilly enough to raise goose bumps on his arm. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Nope.” Alex popped the p and sighed. “And I hope it will stay like this for a long, long time.”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Reggie didn’t know what to answer and took to drink his coffee until the cup was empty which was way too soon. There were other things he could talk with Alex about. But Reggie was unsure if he should confide in Alex with what happened last night between him and Luke. Nibbling on his bottom lip he recapitulated the scene before his eyes, but maybe it wasn’t anything serious at all, a one-time thing, nothing worth mentioning. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Also, Luke could feel betrayed if Reggie just babbled out what they did. Could be that Luke wasn’t ready to reveal this side of him. Reggie wasn’t in a way. He knew nobody of his friends would judge him, least Alex, but something held him back. How high was the probability that this would ever happen again? Surely, it was just a slip up from Luke’s side, a decision born out of drowning a bottle too many and on the next party he would make sure to stick to one beer less. And then Reggie would’ve mentioned it for nothing. Because, nothing happened right?</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Resurfacing from his thoughts, he found a hand waving in front of his face.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Hello? Earth to Reggie? Dude, you have a pretty bad hungover, what did you drink last night?” The smirk around his mouth revealed that Alex wasn’t mad that Reggie didn’t listen to him. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>But Reggie felt bad nevertheless. They always told each other everything. Alex and Reggie had a special friendship since they met. They told each other secrets that were way too scary to say out loud during the day, only whispering them to each other at night at sleepovers and later on in text conversations at one in the morning when neither of them could sleep. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>They weren’t deliberately excluding Luke, it wasn’t like they told him nothing and weren’t honest with him, but Alex and Reggie understood each other on a different level. Luke was ready to throw punches and make lists of what could be done, searching for solutions that weren’t asked for. Most of the time Alex and Reggie just wanted to let out the steam, speaking their fears and problems out and letting them go. They had been doing it for years and for Reggie withholding something from Alex was a weird feeling, like he shouldn’t. But, well. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Not shortly afterwards they said goodbye without trudging in any dangerous areas and Reggie made his way back into the house. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>-</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Dude where have you been? I was drowning in algebra. How could you let me hang?” Luke lamented as soon as Reggie took a seat next to him at the lunch table, shortly followed by a pout neither of them could take seriously. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Reggie rolled his eyes along with Alex. “You should learn to cope without me, otherwise you will fail tremendously at the next exam and don’t you dare try to copy from me or Mrs. Jones will fail us both.” With a pointed finger Reggie accused Luke as he sat there with an innocent expression on his face, because he knew Luke had been doing it before.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Where were you then?” Julie asked from her seat next to Flynn, biting into a sandwich that looked just heavenly for Reggie. Unfortunately, he was stuck with the school meal. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Reggie took a deep breath before going on his rant. “Maya wanted cereal, but we didn’t have any, then she threw a tantrum and I couldn’t get her into her shoes, and I won’t let her go out without shoes on. She didn’t even ask if I was sad about the absence of cereal.” Reggie tried to sound scandalized, but the others could hear the annoyance. Almost every morning he had to prepare breakfast for his siblings and get them ready for school as they were both younger than him and beside him being disorganized it didn’t help having to care for two other kids, his mind already full with his own schedule and plans. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Luke put a hand on his shoulder and looked him deep in the eye and Reggie felt himself involuntary move away with his head, fearing they were obviously close. “Do you want cereal Reginald?” Luke asked him with a serious face as if he asked about the wellbeing of a family member.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Uh, yeah?” Reggie answered honestly. Because, hell yeah, who knew when the next box would magically appear on the fridge.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“I will buy you one after school.” And Reggie smiled. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“Cool, you can come grocery shopping with me. One pair of hands more could help. Oh, that reminds me-” Searching through his bag Reggie brought several lose papers to light, a bottle of water, guitar picks, a notebook, gums, but it was seemingly not what he was looking for and packed everything away again. “Nope, forgot the list again.”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>Luke wasn’t that keen on going shopping but when it meant helping out Reggie, why not? Everything to lift some pressure from his shoulders. “Kay, have my car with me today.”</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>That sentence alone was enough to elicit fear in Reggie as they were all aware of Luke’s driving skills. A wonder, his mum allowed him to drive at all, especially in the morning with half closed eyes and half sleeping brain. But who was he to turn down a ride? So he smiled at Luke, muttered a thanks and got a bright smile back. He could get lost in it if it wasn’t for Alex loudly complaining about their English teacher and the mountain of homework she always gave up over the week. </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>- </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“I want ice cream.” Luke pouted. Again. They should start a counter with how often he did that over the course of a day and create a high score table.</i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>“You sound like Maya.” Reggie said casually when he tried to find the right brand of toast as Luke sat in the cart, the vegetables, cans and other stuff in his lap. “Seriously.” <i>And cute<i>, he added in his head when Luke stared at him with an open mouth. Sighing he gave in, no desire to see this kicked puppy look on Luke any longer. “Fine, but I get half of it.”</i></i></i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>They had anything else anyway, or everything Reggie could remember, which was probably only half of the things that were written on the list. If his brain could remember things only once that would be nice, thanks. But he could get the rest tomorrow if he had to. Luke gave him his characteristically beaming grin and held out the cucumber like a sword. “Onward then my squire.” </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>With rolling eyes (Alex did it too often in his presence to let it unconsciously rub off on him) Reggie pushed the cart in the direction of the coolers. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>At the register Luke was friendly enough to pack the groceries and Reggie had enough time to count the money, scraping together every penny he could find in his pockets and eyeing the display whenever the cashier ringed another item. Hopefully he took enough money with him. It was embarrassing enough the one time he could remember. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Putting the bags in the car they made themselves comfortable in the front seats and Luke pulled out the ice cream.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“We don’t have any spoons.” Reggie noted.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Luke rummaged through his bag. “Don’t worry. I stole two from the cafeteria.” Holding up two spoons he sported a proud smile. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Reggie’s eyes in the meantime grew wide. “Luke! I condone stealing. But I’m more concerned that you planned the ice thing since lunch. You <i>knew<i> you would get me around and I don’t like to be played.”</i></i></i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“Hey, you get half of it, don’t complain. Open your mouth.” Luke commanded and Reggie did as he was told while Luke filled a spoon with ice cream and leading it to Reggie’s mouth. “Bone apple tea.”</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Reggie smirked around the spoon in his mouth. Luke always made a show of pronouncing it wrong and it takes Reggie by surprise every time, making him laugh from the stupidity. Before he could blush from the spoon feeding he took it in his own hands, only shortly brushing over Luke’s hand which shouldn’t spark anything in Reggie as they touched constantly, but it did nevertheless and Reggie was taken by surprise a bit from the electric feeling.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Between eating the ice and complaining over the broken AC, because it was surging hot outside today, they gossiped about Dirty Candy’s new performance with Luke vehemently denying liking it even a little and Reggie insisting he saw him moving on his seat.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“No, you should’ve seen Alex. He could pull every move from his mind; it was honestly embarrassing to sit next to him.” Luke said with his head shaking. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“Don’t you dare distract from yourself and rope Alex into this. Just admit that Rock isn’t the only good genre.” Reggie demanded and turned down the music Luke had turned up seconds prior to change the topic.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“If that is were you’re going with this, let it be known I will never say a good word about Country.”</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Reggie gasped and imitated a hurt look, but Luke only laughed at him until Reggie swatted at his arm and Luke pretended he had hit him hard, stroking the spot. And there was the pout again, oh my god. Reggie imagined a three dinging in the right upper corner. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>The box of ice cream was soon empty before it could melt with Luke giving the last portion to Reggie who rolled his eyes with fondness. Seriously why was Luke so nice to him today?</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“You plan on giving those spoons back?” </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Luke scoffed. “Nah, that torturous institution won’t get anything from me. We should have a pair in the car in case we get ice cream again.”</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Reggie’s heart was fluttering at the suggestion they would share again. Or not, they could each get a pint, that’s probably what Luke meant, get a grip Reggie. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>As offered Luke drove him and the bags home but told him he can’t stay over since he had something with his mother he couldn’t cancel again, or he wasn’t allowed to come to practice this week. And practice without Luke was not useful. Reggie was a bit bummed but at least he could catch up with homework he didn’t do over the weekend this way, lord knows he wouldn’t get anything done with Luke in his room, looking so…so beautiful? Damnit, he should stop glancing at Luke sitting next to him in the driver’s seat.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“You coming on time tomorrow?” Luke asked him once they were parked in front of the house where Reggie lived, searching for his eyes when he turned around.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“When you do too.” Reggie teased with a smirk, knowing Luke’s punctuality was as bad as his. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“For Alex sake.” He said. Tomorrow morning they all had PE together, something you could only suffer through together or Alex would behead them for leaving him alone in the lockers room and in the gym with guys that acted so tough you would think they were all headed for a sports career. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“Yeah wouldn‘t wanna die. Even though that would leave Alex alone too, he should think through his threats the next time.” </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Having his hand on the door Reggie turned around once more to say goodbye but Luke was grabbing over the console to get his hands on his black tank and pulled him back, very, very close, Reggie noticed and then a pair of lips were pressed on his and for a moment Reggie’s brain blanked out, only rebooting after a few seconds and reciprocating the kiss before Luke let loose far too soon. He threw him a blinding smile and before Reggie knew it, he was out the car with Luke speeding down the street and a confused Reggie standing on the sidewalk, blinking as if the last minutes didn’t happen. But the taste of Strawberry ice cream on his lips reminded him that Luke really had kissed him, but it didn’t help Reggie to understand the moment at all. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>- </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>The Sunday before Reggie had been concerned he couldn’t look Luke in the eye at Monday in school after what had happened without turning red. It definitely crossed a line, like no one just kisses their friend without something shifting between them. But they hadn’t talked over the weekend, not seeing each other in person, only texting like normal in the group chat and when they had seen each other at Monday at lunch it was like nothing happened. Reggie wasn’t sure yet if that was a good or a bad sign. He didn’t want to be pulled in and kissed right in front of their friends but maybe a hint would’ve been nice, to know Reggie didn’t hallucinate it. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>So school was the same as always, with the two of them annoying their teachers by not listening and throwing in stupid jokes, making the other students snicker but enticing exasperated sighs from the teachers, much like Alex did when Luke and Reggie were going through with an utterly dumb idea. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Rehearsal wasn’t different from that. Like at all. They would still share a mic and Reggie would get lost in Luke’s eyes, grateful that he knew his lines by heart and didn’t stutter at the sight of a sweaty and passionately singing Luke Patterson standing only inches away from him. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>It filled him with relief to know they got along just fine, and it wasn’t awkward like he feared it would be. It wasn’t a one time thing anymore like he had thought so on Saturday while talking to Alex but maybe it had been happening in the heat of the moment. Even though there hadn’t been any heat at all. The ice cream cold on their tongues and the kiss short and sweet. Only the sun had warmed up the car but that was no reason at all for Luke to kiss Reggie.</i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>So it was fair to say Reggie was a bit confused, more than usual anyways but not so much he would have his other friends on his case. But his mind and whirling thoughts were letting him zone out more than normal and by the time Friday rolled around he had gotten several warnings from teachers to pay more attention in class. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Friday also meant party time and Willie came around in the afternoon to their garage with an invitation from Charlie, one of the laid-back dudes Willie was skating with, someone they all had met once and found chill enough to be around. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Like last time, only a week ago, the boys met up and waited for the girls who had been doing their make up together and decided on what to wear. They had invited the boys too, but they had been adamant in their proclamation they looked fly as hell and didn’t need any girly input. Bobby said he had always found a girl with his own charm and wouldn’t need any help. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>“Show-off” Luke had coughed, and the others laughed, knowing well enough how Luke and Bobby had a rivalry between them since they met. Both charming to no end with the looks to get the girls to swoon before them. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Reggie only hoped Luke wouldn’t shove his tongue down someone else’s throat tonight, or he would throw up. He knew how Luke looked like kissing someone and after feeling it too he wasn’t sure if he could stand losing it to some overly trying girl who just wanted to kiss the infamous Luke Patterson, front man of the band Julie and the Phantoms (don't tell Julie he said that) and brag about it to her friends afterwards. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>As if he was being able to see into the future, as soon as they all stepped into the house the first pair of eyes were on them, mostly on Luke and Bobby. The people here knew Willie and that he was Alex boyfriend, and Julie and Flynn were glued to each other, radiating honeymoon phase. Reggie wasn’t that hurt over it; he had gotten enough action on his own the last years and he was used to being second choice all his life. And he couldn’t deny Luke’s attraction and his ability to pull people in. After all, Reggie had fallen for him too, like all the other girls Luke didn’t look at twice. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Reggie didn’t want to be dropped like a hot potato but maybe it was better to get some distance between them, at least for tonight, Reggie wasn’t sure if he could stay away once he did some shots with Alex. He contemplated giving up doing shots, but that was a quick no, it was their tradition at the start of every party. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Julie and Flynn ditched them not soon after as Flynn wanted to participate in some kind of dance competition and Julie wanted to watch of course. Willie asked if Alex wanted to try too but Alex was content to chill with them in the kitchen. As much as they talked and saw each other in school and rehearsal people would assume they would get sick of each other but nothing of that kind had happened yet. Sure, they had their fall outs over the years but nothing that couldn’t be mended over a heartfelt apology, and the remaining time they spend in each other’s presence. </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>Two guys from school joined them, congratulating them on their last gig while Bobby excused himself after spotting his target for the night, Alex rolling his eyes as usually, muttering <i>'boys'<i> under his breath as if he hadn’t been as hopeless when meeting Willie.<br/>
Luke had his second beer in his hand and Reggie eyed him, looking for any signs of him getting tipsy. Luke’s first stage was ‘getting handsy with everyone’, followed quickly by ‘laughing at every dumb joke’. And Reggie wanted to avoid the first stage as best as he could. So he grabbed a drink and vanished between some bodies into the living room where the main action was. </i></i></i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
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  </i>
</p><p>
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                      <i>
                        <i>The music was louder than in the kitchen, but Reggie welcomed it. It put a pause to his thoughts when the music played around him and it was just what he needed in this moment. He couldn’t spend every second thinking about Luke, that couldn’t be healthy, he needed a distraction. His best shot was to find someone to make out with and overwrite the memories of Luke’s kiss with someone else’s lips. Was it hypocritical of him to wish for Luke to stay single and celibate but him going around kissing other people? Probably, but he couldn’t spare another thought about that problem. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                      <i>
                        <i>He found a place on the couch a kissing couple just left to stumble upstairs. But he wasn’t alone for long as a girl sat down next to him offering him a cute smile and held her cup up to say cheers. Eyeing her from the side, Reggie couldn’t deny she was rather attractive wearing colourful flower printed shorts and a black top with spaghetti straps, revealing enough skin for Reggie to take in. Nothing that could compete against Luke but if his mind wouldn’t be filled with his bandmate, he wouldn’t waste a second to get to know her better. She had a loop in her lips and piercings were Reggie’s gateway to get interested in someone. Sue him, he stuck to his punk attitude. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Making a quick decision, he turned his body to her and said “Hi, I’m Reggie, my buddies bet me that I wouldn't be able to start a conversation with the most beautiful person at the party. What should we do with their money?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>The girl started to laugh out loud, her whole body moving with it but then she laid her eyes on him, faking to be deep in thought with a tongue in her cheek. “Hm, let me think. I would take some to save up for my next tattoo and with the rest I would get some sour gums because you’re way too sweet.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie’s eyebrows raised then and tilted his head. “Oh, are you flirting back with me?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>The girl smiled, turning her body too so one of her knees was almost touching him. “Well, you started it, don’t be surprised if I jump on it.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“You said your next tattoo. Does that mean you have one already?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
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                      <i>
                        <i>The girl nodded and put down her cup to lift the hem of her top to reveal a tattoo on her ribs. Reggie tried to ignore the beginning of lace showing under her fingers and focus on the black ink instead. Girls were still hot okay, that didn’t change once he found a boy interesting all of a sudden. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
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            <i>
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                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“A mermaid?” Reggie asked, seeing the tail and fish scales lining it, it looked really pretty.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Yeah it was my dream job when I was a kid and I love swimming, my parents always called me that.” She said once she let her top fall again, covering her stomach and ribs and Reggie could think clearer again. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Let me guess, The Little Mermaid is your favourite movie.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Not exactly, but a close second for sure.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie then remembered he never asked for her name after introducing himself and he didn’t want to come off as rude, but seeing as she was smiling at him, he may have the complete opposite impression on her. “In case your name isn’t Arielle, do you mind telling me?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“It’s Haley.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie held out his hand. “Well, hello Haley. It’s nice to meet you.” Haley took the hand with a smile and shook it once in sync with her head over the ridiculousness of the situation.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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    <i>
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        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“You’re really something else Reggie. How come you’re here tonight?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“A friend of mine knows Charlie, the host, and my band and I always come to parties on Fridays. Maybe we have been on the same one already, but I would have noticed you as beautiful as you are.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Her eyes lightened up at that, completely ignoring the compliment. “You’re in a band? That’s so cool. A friend of mine and I want to start one too, but we need a second guitarist and maybe someone who plays the keyboard, but we’ve searched to no avail yet. Tell me more about your band though. What are you playing?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                      <i>
                        <i>Her interest in him couldn’t be denied and Reggie cheered inside, happy to have found someone on the spot who even shared interests with him, so he didn’t have to fake his enjoyment, and he could use it as a welcomed distraction like he intended. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“I will tell you more after you danced with me.” </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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      <i>
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                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Now it was her turn to tilt her head, eying him from the bottom to the top, her short hair falling over her eye and Reggie used the opportunity to push it back behind her ear, brushing the skin of her cheek with his fingers before letting his hand fall back into his lap, his loopsided smile never leaving his face.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
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      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Alright, but only if I can lead and then we can see where else it leads us.” She really had the audacity to wink at him before standing up without looking back if he followed her. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie agreed without a second thought though, why on earth should he turn down a confident girl who looked like she was pulled out of his wet dream pre-Luke and offered even more?</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>He was quick to get up and discard his cup, relieved he hadn’t drunk much yet, not that his dancing skills could get any worse than they were, they were nothing compared to Alex, but he may be able to stay upright. And if his first move was to hold onto her hips, she didn’t say anything, instead swaying her hips and pulling him in closer till their bodies were pressed align. She wasn’t much shorter than him, but it was always bringing something forth in him when they had to look up at him. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
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  </i>
</p><p>
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            <i>
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                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>She didn’t make any move to kiss him though and Reggie concentrated on not stepping on her shoes, to this point successful. His hands slowly dipped down until they were almost on her ass and she smiled the whole time, clearly enjoying how she had him move against her. Reggie contemplated if he should just go with the kiss or let her lead as she wanted but he didn’t come around to make a decision when he was turned around with a hand on his shoulder facing Luke all of a sudden.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Luke?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
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              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Alex needs us. Sorry to disrupt your lovely date, you are clearly having fun, but we have to go.” Looking over Reggie’s shoulder he spoke to Reggie’s dance partner while she crossed her arms in front of her, she didn’t seem impressed with the interruption. “Sorry, but I have to kidnap him, I’m sure you will find someone else.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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            <i>
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                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Haley raised both her eyebrows but instead of saying something back she scoffed and turned around to leave for the other side of the room. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Luke, what-“ Reggie started, confused and a bit angry with him that he ruined his opportunity to get his mind running on something else than bare arms and guitar music and instead with mermaids and flowers, but no, not once could he get what he wants.<br/>
“Alex is upstairs, come on.” Luke says once again and takes Reggie by his arm to lead him to the stairs. For Reggie it felt like a déjà vue happening with the way Luke dragged him away, but to another room instead of a porch this time.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>But once the door behind them closed Reggie was pushed against it, his back hitting the wood, a gasp escaping him from the impact and his eyes focusing on Luke who had pushed him against it, one arm next to his head. What was happening?</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
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      <i>
        <i>
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            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Luke? Where’s Alex?” He asked quietly, not quite sure why they were here when he couldn’t see anyone besides them, looking up to Luke who had an unreadable expression on his face. He wasn’t smiling at him rather showing a cold expression so unlike him.<br/>
But instead of an answer, Luke surged in for a kiss, pressing hard against him with need, his breath already frantic, and took the lead. Reggie could only comply but lost himself in the kiss, forgetting what he had asked a second prior. Just feeling Luke’s lips on him and teeth scraping against his lower lip before Luke pulled back. But it was just for a short time before Luke captured Reggie’s lips again, dipping his tongue in to deepen the kiss. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
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        </i>
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                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie’s knees were getting weak and he hold on to Luke’s shoulder before he could slide down the door. It seemed to spur on Luke even more, feeling Reggie’s body melting under him, leaning all his weight on Luke, and he put his hands under Reggie’s shirt, feeling the cold skin beneath it, letting goose bumps raise when he dragged his hands over the spine to his shoulders and back. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
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</p><p>
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                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie whined when Luke licked in his mouth, his fingers digging deeper into Luke’s shoulder. He needed to breath desperately but this was too good to let go, so he tried to catch up with Luke, letting a hand come up behind his head and pulling him in with a hand in his curly hair. Now it was Luke’s turn to moan and Reggie felt the noise traveling into lower parts of his body. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>When they parted, both breathing hard, looking into each other’s eyes, Reggie was more confused than ever, but Luke was finally smiling. The look he had on before was scaring Reggie only a little. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
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      <i>
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                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Luke?” Reggie asked again. “You still haven’t answered my question.” He was slightly out of breath, but they were so close he didn’t need to raise his voice much. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Shame was flickering over Luke’s face, but Reggie may have imagined it, it was dark in the room they were standing in, Reggie still with his back against the door, the cold wood digging into his back. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke cleared his throat before speaking. “Alex isn’t here. He’s with Willie congratulating Flynn on winning.” He explained. Before Reggie could ask further, he continued, “I just - I – you were dancing with that girl and I didn’t like it. I wanted to kiss you again, I was thinking about it the whole week actually.” Dipping his head, Luke avoided Reggie’s gaze and pulled back his hands from under Reggie’s shirt.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
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      <i>
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            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>But Reggie didn’t want Luke to leave, already missing the feeling of him on his skin. “Hey.” He said, grabbing Luke on one wrist, holding him near him, angling his head to search for Luke’s eyes. “Just for your information, I thought about it too.” It was harder to admit than Reggie thought possible. He wasn’t one for being open and vulnerable, and admitting feelings wasn’t Reggie’s strength but for Luke it may be worth it. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke looked up again with a small smile after hearing Reggie say that. “Really?” It sounded way too hopeful for Reggie’s ears. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Yeah. Next time you don’t have to use Alex as an excuse though.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke raised an eyebrow. “There will be a next time?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Anytime you want.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“And if that’s now?” Luke’s eyes flicked to his lips and Reggie breathed in sharply, lips already prickling with anticipation.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Then that’s perfectly fine with me.” Reggie whispered, their noses bumping against each other when they got so close Reggie could feel Luke’s breath on him. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>It was so slow, but Reggie wouldn’t have it any other way. This time their lips only touched softly, their movements slow against each other, taking their time with getting to know the other’s mouth. Reggie’s hand had found his way in Luke’s hair again, pulling at it from time to time and Luke was drawing Reggie in by his waist, grabbing him fiercely once Reggie found the courage to lick over Luke’s lips.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Air filled their lungs when they parted again.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“You know, I have a perfectly comfortable bed at home, why don’t we go there?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie didn’t even need to think about it before he said yes. The red and swollen lips looked so heavenly good on Luke he could dive right in again, but he held himself back so they could untangle themselves and straighten their clothes. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Fortunately, they didn’t meet anyone on the stairs, and they stayed undetected in the crowd of people. Unaware of the whereabouts of their friends they just hoped they wouldn’t bump into any of them on their way out, not sure how to explain why they were sneaking home. Not that it would be unusual for any of them to crash at another friends’ house, but they looked rather dishevelled Reggie had to observe with a grin and he was sure it would raise questions. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>The way to the backdoor was clear and once they stood outside, they took in a deep breath and started giggling like little girls or like they were on a forbidden mission. There was nothing forbidden about their actions, but it was something about the secrecy that made them giddy. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>There were some furtive looks on their way to Luke but other than that they kept their hands to themselves as hard as it was. The night was mild, and Reggie could once again admire Luke’s arm right next to him, not that he would wear a jacket when it was cold. But for once Reggie was only wearing his black tank, with his flannel tied around his waist, and their arms were touching from time to time and it sent sparks down his arm.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke’s parents were long gone to bed and the house dark when they arrived. Luke opened the door, trying to be as quit as possible, discarding their shoes at the front door, and sneaking on socks to his room. He only snagged a bottle of water from the fridge for them, putting it on his nightstand.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>As it was late already, or rather early in the morning, it was only logical to take off their pants and slip into something more comfortable for sleeping. Reggie tried hard not to stare even as he was allowed now. Thinking back, he should’ve noticed his crush sooner, always eyeing Luke from the side, to not raise any suspicion, but even now he couldn’t take his eyes off. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Am I that pretty?” Luke’s question pulled him out of his daydream. But Reggie rolled his eyes when he saw Luke’s smirk and realized he was repeating the question that led to their first kiss. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Instead he let himself fall down on Luke’s bed, taking the middle and blocking off any other space, his limbs arranged like a star fish. He then made the motion of doing a snow angel on the duvet, eyes closed and relaxed. A soon as his back hit the mattress, a tiredness overcame him, and he was ready to fall asleep. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“You know that I can just lay on you?” Luke’s voice sounded to his right. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Do it then.” Reggie dared him, knowing full well that Luke would go through with it, but not minding the slightest. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie was prepared when Luke made himself comfortable between Reggie’s legs, holding his body up with his elbows next to Reggie’s head. Reggie opened his eyes again to see Luke hovering over him, but he decided it wasn’t close enough and put his arms around Luke’s neck, pulling him in for a short kiss. He was way too tired for anything more and Luke sensed the shift and rolled over to Reggie’s side.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Nestling his head on Luke’s shoulder, Reggie found himself in Luke’s embrace with his arms around him, holding him close and he had never felt better. Never in his life before did he felt so content and safe. He was truly happy, Reggie noted. It wasn’t hard to fall asleep like this.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>- </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Waking up the next day was different. He didn’t have a hungover, Reggie noticed pretty quickly. His head didn’t hurt, and his stomach wasn’t protesting. He felt rested, unlike any other Saturday and the light coming through the window above the bed didn’t make him wince or close his eyes. He may close them anyway as he found himself snuggled by Luke and the position was way to comfortable to get up, so he turned around to face Luke who was seemingly still sleeping. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke’s chest lifted in a slow rhythm and his eyelids fluttered a bit, maybe he was dreaming. Reggie had forgotten of the scar right above Luke’s left eyebrow where he crashed into the door frame when him and Reggie were sliding down the stairs on mattresses. Emily had been furious with them for coming up with such a dangerous idea, but the memory always put a smile on Reggie’s face. Not because Luke had gotten hurt, but it had been one of Reggie’s favourite days with him. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>He had been upset because he had to change foster families again and Luke had come up with the idea to cheer Reggie up. It had worked in the end and Luke had smiled through the pain of Emily cleaning his wound.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>As always the corners of Reggie’s mouth lifted into a smile while reminiscing about the day and he lifted a finger to gently trace the scar, watching out to not wake up Luke. Tracing his finger from the scar over the eyebrow to his nose, he followed it to Luke’s lips, feeling how soft they are before pulling back. He could look at every detail of Luke’s face all day long but right now his eyes fluttered close and a yawn escaped him. Might as well get another hour of sleep. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>The next time Reggie woke up, Luke was already awake, treading a hand through Reggie’s hair and he had to suppress a shiver when Luke’s hand travelled lower, over Reggie’s shoulder blade down to his lower back. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Morning.” Reggie mumbled with half closed eyes. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke gave him a smile that was way too bright for the hour and gave him a short peck on the nose. “Morning to you too. You hungry? I could eat a whale right now.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>As on cue Reggie could feel his stomach grumble and they both started laughing.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Well, seems as your stomach is more awake than you. Up with you then.“ Luke said and climbed over Reggie to get out of bed but staying in his sweatpants, only changing his Shirt. That alone was sufficient enough to pull Reggie out of his sleep drunken state and he got up too, following Luke into the kitchen.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>His parents could be heard in the living room with the TV on. Reggie was sure Emily knew he was over, unlikely that she would overlook his pair of shoes standing in the hallway, but she didn’t come in to say hello. Reggie was glad, as he was still blushing when Luke turned around to the counter and Reggie could see Luke’s back muscles thanks to his sleeveless tank. Damn 16-year-old Luke and his decision to train with Bobby.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“I would rather not burn down the kitchen while making pancakes or whatever so my mum could kill me, is cereal okay for you?” </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie was still standing in the doorway when Luke asked, suddenly unsure what to do with himself. He had been over so often, but it felt different now. They had kissed and now Reggie felt like a stranger in the house again. As if he should introduce himself to Emily and Mitch again just because he had put his lips on their son. They had always welcomed him with open arms and now he felt like he was betraying them, going behind their backs and he couldn’t even explain why. Luke and he haven’t done anything forbidden but the feeling was still there.</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Reggie?” Luke pulled Reggie out of his dream state, waving the cereal box in front of his eyes. “Cereal? Yes, no?”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>“Uh, yeah thanks.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Luke waved over to the round table. “Sit down, I’m fixing you a bowl.”</i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>Reggie did as he was told and continued to watch Luke. They actually had Reggie’s favourite cereal and Luke poured it in a bowl before taking another box for himself. Luke knew his favourite cereal. Of course he knew, they were friends for around 9 years now, in that time you were bound to pick up things like this. </i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
                        <i>The adoration Luke felt for him had been obvious for quite some time as their friendship ran deep, but it had been different from Alex, Reggie realized last night. Luke had been jealous at the party, dragging him away from Haley and from the other people, kissing him senseless till all Reggie could feel was <i>Luke Luke Luke<i>.</i></i></i>
                      </i>
                    </i>
                  </i>
                </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>
                  <i>
                    <i>
                      <i>
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                            <i>Reggie’s heart seized up and he felt himself panicking for a short moment. This was real. Luke kissing him had been real. He had slept in Luke’s bed, in his arms, waking up next to him. The last week, it had all been Luke. It was suddenly all too much for Reggie. What where they doing? Reggie had been so focused on watching Luke all those months and wishing he could kiss him, that he hadn’t realized his true feelings for him, and they had sneaked up on him, so now he was panicking. This was going too fast for him.</i>
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                            <i>Sharing this peaceful moment in the kitchen, it was too good for him. It didn’t fit in Reggie’s life. Sooner or later it would spill over into Luke’s life and Reggie felt as if he was corrupting him.</i>
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                            <i>Suddenly Luke was sitting down in front of him, putting down both bowls of cereal and grinning at him as if it was the best morning in his life but Reggie could only frown.</i>
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                            <i>“I don’t want a relationship.” Reggie blurted out before he could think about it any longer. Typically him, he berated himself, and squeezed his eyes in fear of what he would find in Luke’s face. Only opening them once he heard Luke say “What? Reggie, what are you talking about?”</i>
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                            <i>Luke was now frowning too, the spoon in his hand halfway to his mouth but the milk spilled over, dripping on the table. But Luke didn’t care, only looking Reggie in his eyes, who held his gaze with a determined look on his face. He had made up his mind.</i>
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                            <i>“I – I don’t want to be in a relationship with you.” Reggie repeated, watching the hurt overtaking Luke’s face and Reggie felt bad. Swallowing once to get past the lump in his throat he kept going so the words weren’t going to get lost on their way out. “I like kissing you.” Okay, maybe it wasn’t the best to start with the physical stuff, he didn’t want Luke to feel exploited. “I mean, I like you, but…not enough I guess.” The problem was he felt too much but he couldn’t say that.</i>
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                            <i>Waiting for Luke to say something, Reggie played with his fingers, a nervous habit of him. </i>
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                            <i>“I – I – what? But, Reggie, I thought we were on the same page. I kissed you. Three times. Or more actually after last night. And you just said you liked it, that you like <i>me<i>. Why don’t you want us to be together?”</i></i></i>
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                                <i>Reggie looked down, breathing through his mouth to get enough air in, searching for a way to explain this to get Luke to understand.</i>
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                                <i>“Is this because of your parents?” Reggie’s head snapped up at Luke’s words. He looked more angry than sad now, but his voice was still low, most likely to not raise his parents concern. The last thing they needed was for anyone coming in and interrupting them. “Are you saying this because you’re afraid?” Luke asked again, sounding accusing more than anything else and Reggie felt the anger rising up in him.</i>
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                                <i>He didn’t talk about his parents, never, and Luke knew that well enough. Willie asked him once when they were all hanging out in the park late at night, just chilling on some blankets, and beer and chips around them. And Reggie was sure Willie would get it with him only living with his stepdad, no contact to his real parents, just like Bobby got it because he lived with his grandparents, no contact to his real parents either. But Reggie just couldn’t talk about it. </i>
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                                <i>Maybe it was the anger that would flare up every time someone brought up the topic parents, like it did the first times he was over at the Molinas when they had met Julie and she started inviting them around for dinner and hanging in her room. It had been so unreal what he saw in the house. It wasn’t like this with Luke, and Bobby, and Alex, and definitely not with Reggie’s parents or foster parents either.</i>
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                                <i>Or maybe it was the sadness that without hesitation let tears spring out of his eyes at the thought of being abandoned from his parents, the people in his life that should’ve loved him no matter what but couldn’t care less what was happening with him. </i>
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                                <i>It could’ve also been the sheer vulnerability he felt every time the question came up. Because poor Reggie, the child that had needed new parents because his own couldn’t be arsed about him. What a pity. And Reggie hated pity and would’ve rather say nothing at all than be showered with pity and concern. He was fine. Honestly.</i>
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                                <i>And that’s why he didn’t like to talk about the overall situation. He had a roof under which he could sleep, a bed on his own, a fridge that was filled (from him but what did it matter), siblings he always wished for even though they could annoy him to no end but he loved them all the same, and a couple that willingly took him in.</i>
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                                <i>So, he didn’t tell Willie much. Just that he came into the foster system when he was 8, a decade ago when he barely knew the rest of Sunset Curve, it was way before the band was born. That his parents hadn’t been great, but it was okay, and that he was happy with where he was. It could be worse he would always say. It wasn’t all the truth but who was he to burden Willie, who was here for Alex and not Reggie, with such minor details. </i>
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                                <i>Luke knew this story too and regardless of that he brought it up.</i>
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                                <i>Reggie had enough and stood up in one swift motion. “You know what? Fuck you, Luke. Just because you’re not getting what you want doesn’t mean you have to bitch to me about it.” Reggie knew he wasn’t fair, but he wasn’t in a state to regret his decision. Instead he left the kitchen, ran up the stairs and grabbed his things before going down again and slipping on his shoes. Luke didn’t try to stop him, he must be still sitting at the kitchen table, so Reggie just left without another word spoken between them.</i>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you reached the end of this long ass chapter feel free to comment and tell what you think. I'm open for criticism too.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I didn't see that coming (but I'm not complaining)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Turns out I couldn't finish the second chapter in one week, sorry for that and I won't make any promises for the next chapter. This one is exactly 19 pages in my word doc, the longest I have ever wrote and I'm not sure how much the third one will be.</p>
<p>I gave Reggie's siblings the names Maya and Lukas so I could give him and Luke the nickname Luky, I thought it was cute. Also his "parents" are called Susan and Mark and I hope I can get into Reggie's family situation next chapter.</p>
<p>As always, have fun reading and I'm thanking everyone who left a comment, they motivate me so much.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The walk home was done with angry strides and could not even remotely be compared to a calm stroll along the parks and then the beach with the sun shining down and the birds chirping happily.</p>
<p>The calming presence of the nature around him was more a contrast to his inner life. His thoughts were occupied with mean and nasty words he wouldn’t dare say out loud but regardless of that couldn’t help thinking and he knew they were unreasonable and not appropriate, but the fury flaming up in him couldn’t be stopped once he stepped out the Patterson house. He would calm down once in his room and bass in his hands, giving his fingers something to play with and not fumbling on the sleeves of his flannel. But for now he could embrace the angry state of mind and stamped home.</p>
<p>Only a few feet away from his house with the front yard in his view, his gaze picked up a bundle of blonde hair to his right. To his astonishment was Alex sitting on the bench they shared last week and so often before. Which - right, it was Saturday. They could easily commission a plaque to put on the back with their names on it and the date they started sharing their thoughts on it. For so long they had shared this space.</p>
<p>Before Reggie could reach him, he glanced at his phone and saw a bunch of messages there from different friends, some were from Alex. Until now he had been too occupied with kissing Luke, going home with Luke, sleeping with Luke, <strike>breaking up </strike>fighting with Luke to look at his phone or check if anyone needed him. He felt a bit guilty of having Alex left on message received, knowing his friend would have started to worry by now as they always texted when they got home and generally texting all time around. Reggie’s anger passed away at that revelation.</p>
<p>“Hey, sorry for having to wait on me.” Reggie apologized as soon as he sat down and got Alex attention in return.</p>
<p>Alex didn’t seem as mad as Reggie feared and put a cup of coffee in his hands. “Your loss, your coffee is cold by now. What held you up?”</p>
<p>Coming up with something on the spot was usually Reggie’s talent but his mind was still spinning on the wheel of yesterdays and today’s events so the answer he came up with was not in the slightest convincing enough.</p>
<p>“Uh, I saw a cute puppy on my morning walk and had to pet him?” Going up with his voice and formulating it as a question wasn’t helping his case either.</p>
<p>As predicted Alex tilted his head and raised his eyebrows in an <em>are you sure</em> expression. “Normally I would buy that off the spot from you, but I know you’re lying. You could’ve told me you crashed with someone; I wouldn’t have to sat here all alone.”</p>
<p>Reggie dipped his head shyly and hoped it was apology enough for lying. “Sorry, thanks for the coffee though.” He smiled sweetly and knew Alex couldn’t stay mad long.</p>
<p>“So? Where were you?” Alex pressed further, searching for a real answer to his question. Gossip was Alex elixir of life after all and the teasing smile playing around his lips told Reggie as much.</p>
<p>“Just with Luke.” Reggie had gone with the truth this time. His lies were too easily uncovered today with his attention not fully on the subject at hand. He may have left his mind in Luke’s bed when he was still happy and content, and the morning hadn’t turned to shit yet.</p>
<p>“Why are you lying about staying with Luke?”</p>
<p>“I thought you may get jealous of Luke if I stay there so often?” This lie had come easily off his tongue as it was more of a half-truth than straight up made up. Reggie often feared he didn’t equally split his time for all his friends and someday they would get angry with him because he neglected one of them to spend time with someone else. Reggie had always been someone wanting to please everyone else around him in exchange of validation and he knew his parents had fucked that up for him but he still couldn’t stop this side of him, reaching for every drop of verification that the people around him loved him.</p>
<p>“Reggie, what?” Reggie didn’t like how that question laced with unbelieve sounded almost the same as the one that came out of Luke’s mouth not an hour ago and he had to stop himself from slipping further into the back of his mind instead focusing on Alex words as he kept talking.</p>
<p>“I would never get jealous of you hanging out with one of your best friends. Or do you get jealous of me hanging out with Willie, or Julie? Because if I wasn’t aware of us spending less time together than you can tell me. I don’t want to feel you left out.” Reggie could feel the nervous energy coming from Alex now visible of him gripping his fanny pack tight and regretted spilling his silly little assumption.</p>
<p>Laying a comforting hand on Alex knee he tried to make up for what he said. “Alex, really. It was just one of my pointless fears. It has nothing to do with you or us. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to send you down a spiral.”</p>
<p>Alex looked at him for a moment longer before letting out a long breath and then letting his lips lift into a small smile. “Phew, for a moment here I thought I was being a bad friend to you. But as a good friend I have to tell you none of your fears are pointless.”</p>
<p>Reggie chuckled at Alex therapy voice and nodded to show he understood. “Okay, okay. Can we talk about something less deep now? I don’t know if I like that for my morning. We should keep that shit for our late-night conversations.”</p>
<p>Alex laughed and then gripped Reggie’s arm with wide eyes and excitement shining in them, his hand clapping on his own knee a few times with overflowing happy energy, immediately infecting Reggie. “Oh my god, now that you said it, I have to tell you. You’ll never believe with whom Louise hooked up with. Or - no I will start with what happened to Willie while playing beer pong.”</p>
<p>Reggie welcomed the change in conversation and nodded and hummed in between times while Alex told his story and occasionally nipped on his straw in between breaths. Reggie had missed a lot apparently when Luke and he had sneaked away early from the party. <em>He could have had so much fun</em>. But as soon as he thought that he had to scold himself. He <em>did</em> had fun; he was just too self-destructive to see it this way and had to destroy it the second it came up.</p>
<p>The realization of how much he fucked up came over him in a sudden overpowering wave, ready to knock him over if he swam too far out in his own confrontation of what he had said.</p>
<p>Tapping a cigarette out of his pack, Alex wordlessly gave him the lighter, and slowly the smoke mingled with the bitter taste of cold coffee in his mouth. Alex was still talking, unaware of Reggie’s inner turmoil right next to him but that wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t as if Reggie would let anyone in before he was ready himself and that could take years.</p>
<p>Later in his room he realized he still had Luke’s sweats on him when he had run out without changing in his own clothes first. Not being able to look at them any longer he stepped out of them and buried them deep in his closet. It could’ve been a metaphor for something else, but Reggie wasn’t Luke who inserted his feelings behind nice sounding words and melodies. No, it was just a pair of sweats hidden under a pile of his own stuff, hoping to never be found again.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>The blanket was soft and heavy at the same time, lulling Reggie back in to sleep, back into his dream. His eyes weren’t cooperating with staying open, so Reggie surrendered to falling into a light slumber while the house around him was quiet and his breathing loud in the room until it evened out.</p>
<p>When he woke up again, he instantly felt better. The sleepiness from the morning was gone and his head was clearer and lighter, making it easier to get up and leave the warmth of his bed for shuffling into the bath.</p>
<p>He had been up before at 7 am to help his siblings get ready for school. Helping Maya to choose the right shirt (she settled on the one decorated with purple butterflies), making sure both of them had their bags, preparing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and be glad that Luke got him the box of cereal last week so Maya’s mood had been phenomenal and it diminished his struggle to get her into her jacket and shoes before waving them both off.</p>
<p>After closing the door and the house was immersed into silence once again his limbs had felt so heavy, he didn’t contemplate any longer before he trotted up the stairs and had fallen into his bed, merely able to pull up the blanket. But now it was time to be productive again, the mint from his toothpaste had woken him up slightly and with a fresh feeling he searched through his closet for some clothes.</p>
<p>Not one minute after changing out of his sleep clothes he heard the ringing of the bell. A text from Bobby was on his phone. <em>Be there in 5. You bettr be up.</em> It was dated from 5 minutes ago; it could only be Bobby.</p>
<p>At least he was clothed this time, he could remember enough times one of the boys stormed into his room when he was in the middle of changing. Once Luke came into the bathroom in the studio that couldn’t be locked while Reggie was taking a shower, but Luke sat down on the toilet lid untroubled and started rambling about this song and Reggie was sure Luke would’ve serenaded him right there if he hadn’t thrown a wet rag at him, giving him the hint to fuck off.</p>
<p>But right now, he finished buttoning up his flannel and writing Bobby <em>snore zzzz </em>back.</p>
<p>Their school was closed today for some kind of teacher’s day. Reggie didn’t care whom he had to thank for a free day he was just happy to be blessed with some time for himself and sleeping in.</p>
<p>Seeing as the other boys were free as well, he had invited Bobby for some one on one time. Just the two of them without the band. They didn’t spend as much time together as he and Alex or he and Luke, Bobby was pretty busy with work, earning the most for their equipment, also helping his grandparents out wherever he could.</p>
<p>Running down the stairs, he opened the door for Bobby to step in.</p>
<p>Not even one foot over the threshold and Bobby showed off the baking dish in his hands. “Here, I brought some casserole, nana couldn’t resist making something for you when I told her I was going over.”</p>
<p>Reggie beamed at him, knowing about the amazing cooking skills of the famous nana how Bobby called her. They all had gotten a taste of it whenever Bobby threw a birthday party or when they were invited over for dinner. None of them would ever refuse to come around in the warm and welcoming Wilson house to get a hug and a cheek pinch from Bobby’s grandma. “Thanks, we have to eat it tomorrow though. We have to cook the meat, its going bad soon and I don’t want to waste it.”</p>
<p>“No worries bro.” Bobby replied and put the dish in the fridge. There was enough space for a few more casseroles but Bobby didn’t comment. He was aware that Reggie’s household didn’t resemble his own and he would only be embarrassed when it was addressed. “Where are Maya and Lucas? I thought every school was out today?”</p>
<p>Reggie shook his head while he stretched for the pasta in the cabinet, letting out a peeved groan instead of a thanks when Bobby had to help him. “No, they have half day, Catherine is bringing them soon.”</p>
<p>Catherine was one of their neighbours, her son going to the same school as his siblings, often watching them in the afternoon or bringing one of them to their afternoon activities. Reggie was glad to have her around and that she was willing to help out without any compensation.</p>
<p>While Reggie filled a big pot with water Bobby looked for the salt. “Why couldn’t she keep them for the afternoon, you could’ve had a whole day for yourself.”</p>
<p>Loving his siblings didn’t change the fact Reggie needed time just for himself, he was a young adult after all. With school and homework and band practice there wasn’t much time left just for him and it often cut into his sleep time. Not that he had a regular sleep pattern but Alex scolded him often enough when he was awake at midnight doing homework because he had to walk Lucas to football training or helped Maya with her lessons, forgetting about his own English essays and science works.</p>
<p>Alex and Julie offered on multiple occasions that they would help write them or that Reggie could copy from them, but Reggie was adamant and insisted on doing it himself. They weren’t sure whom Reggie wanted to prove he could do it alone but when he didn’t want help there was nothing to be done. Nothing topped Luke’s stubbornness but Reggie was closely behind.</p>
<p>Reggie handed over a knife and some vegetables for Bobby to cut while Reggie handled the pot and the meat. “No time, doctors’ appointment or something. She’s doing enough for that she isn’t our parent; I can handle them for the day.”</p>
<p><em>But you shouldn’t have to</em>, Bobby thought but didn’t say. It would be a pointless debate; one they had already led many times.</p>
<p>Bobby looked over to Reggie when he was done cutting the carrots and brought them over. “I’m impressed. All the hours observing nana’s cooking must’ve stuck with you.”</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Reggie asked and poured the vegetable to the meat, stirring around the pot until he was satisfied with how it looked.</p>
<p>“You tried to cook pasta in the kettle.”</p>
<p>Reggie hid his face in his hands in embarrassment but the giggle coming through his fingers told Bobby he wasn’t dying on the spot, but just hated to be reminded of this disaster. “One time! How many times will you guys bring it up, oh my god. Can’t I do one thing wrong without you teasing me for forever?”</p>
<p>Laughing and holding his stomach Bobby was wheezing out a <em>no</em> along with a promise to never let it down and when he finished coughing from his laughing fit, Reggie only gave him a stern look that resembled more a cute dog, much like Luke looked all the time. And the wooden spoon in Reggie’s hand did nothing to emphasise the threating stance. Reggie realized there was nothing to be done with Bobby and assembled the sauce and put the spoon to better use than pointing it at Bobby.</p>
<p>With lunch getting ready Reggie’s siblings arrived home right on time, waving Catherine goodbye before storming in and looking into the pots to make out if it was okay to be excited over the food. Apparently satisfied with their find they grabbed the forks and spoons and set the table, eliciting another impressed whistle from Bobby.</p>
<p>“Your siblings have better manners than I ever had.” Reggie humming in agreement.</p>
<p>“When we met in art lesson, you wanted to take a look at my flannel with you hands fully coated in colours. I would have killed you if you have left a coloured handprint on me.” Back then Bobby wasn’t aware of Reggie’s love for flannels and was just on the hunt for some new friends and the boy in the too large flannel, he was practically drowning in it, had caught his eye or rather the red of the fabric.</p>
<p>The memory was clear before their eyes, the first they all shared together. “Oh yeah I remember, instead I gave Alex boring button up a new blue touch. I guess that’s why his parents never took a liking in me.”</p>
<p>“Or because we are the reason his son is playing in a rock band, doing the devils work and all that.” The last words were said with his fingers doing quotation marks.</p>
<p>Bobby’s mouth formed an ‘O’ as if he had had a revelation just now. “Oh shit, I wouldn’t be surprised they’re really thinking that. Maybe they’re praying extra hard for us getting back on the right track.”</p>
<p>An unbelieving sound escaped Reggie’s mouth while he was still stirring the sauce.  “Good luck with that. I’m fairly sure smoking and drinking isn’t god’s idea of a decent adolescent.”</p>
<p>“And we’re not married.” Bobby remarked and put a finger in the sauce to taste it, the finger popping out of his mouth before Reggie could swat his hand away.</p>
<p>“Don’t get me started.” Reggie sighed.</p>
<p>Eating with his siblings, sitting with them on the table gave Reggie the impression this was his own little family. It was in one way. He would call each of them his family because it was the truth and he would never let them go, they were all too attached to his heart and soul. The few years they had spent together under the same roof, bonding over similar experiences, him reading bedtime stories, and them bringing Reggie to laugh however mood he was in equated to family in his opinion. Not that he ever had a prime example for that beside maybe Luke’s family in the beginning but that had crumbled too, but if you would ask Reggie what family was then he would show you this scene.</p>
<p>Bobby had to intervene at one point so Lucas wouldn’t start any spaghetti fights no matter how cool it would look like on Maya’s head, promising them to take them on a piggyback ride once they cleaned up and Bobby wasn’t one to break promises. He gave them each a few rounds in the garden before settling down next to Reggie on the porch while Maya and Lucas were having fun with a ball, making out their own little game, filling the garden with giggles and childlike energy.</p>
<p>Popping his joints and rolling his shoulders Bobby pulled out his cigarettes. “Am I getting old or did someone sit on my back last night?”</p>
<p>Reggie made a wave motion with his hand to say no and looked out for his siblings.</p>
<p> “You don’t want one?” Bobby asked perplexed in return, stuffing the second one back in his pack and burying it in his pocket.</p>
<p>To underline his decision Reggie shook his head. “You know I don’t smoke in front of them, great role model and so on.”</p>
<p>“Eh, I think that’s gone already.” A teasing smile was placed on Bobby’s face when Reggie smacked him on the arm.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Indignation played in his voice.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, you’re the cutest Reg, we all now that. Anyway, brought my switch. Wanna play?” And why was Bobby even asking, of course Reggie was ready to beat Bobby in every game in his library.</p>
<p>At this point Bobby must hate him but he offered every time and when asked Bobby would say he loved playing with Reggie because it gave him a challenge, but the second reason was the lack of money in Reggie’s pocket and he shouldn’t be left out for that.</p>
<p>“Greet your nana for me okay?” Reggie said goodbye to Bobby way later when Reggie’s siblings were brought to bed with Bobby’s aid to brush their teeth and wrestling them into their respective beds till the blanket was pulled up and no chance for any monster to be in the closet or under the bed.</p>
<p>“Course, see you tomorrow bro.” With a last hug Bobby was gone and Reggie leaned against the closed door for a minute, breathing in deep once before pushing himself off and going into his room for homework.</p>
<p>Of course it got later than he intended, but he had so much fun today he wasn’t going to make Bobby do homework when they could watch dumb reality shows on the TV as long as his foster parents were out, flicking through magazines from Susan and filling out the quizzes from Cosmo and whatever they were all called. One stated Bobby would find his one true love soon and then they gossiped about all potential candidates from school. Short version: there were none.</p>
<p>When his back finally touched the mattress of his bed, his siblings having long ago drifted off into dreamland and his foster parents talking loudly downstairs in the living room, his head was filled with nagging thoughts.</p>
<p>The weekend was still fresh in his mind and what he said to Luke circled endlessly in there, coming to the forefront occasionally making Reggie wince and let him hope it hadn’t destroyed everything in its wrath. His friendship with Luke was important to him and he valued it, the thought he could’ve ended it right there at the kitchen table made his eyes well up with sorrow, already grieving for what he might have lost.</p>
<p>The group chat had been lacking messages and Reggie and Luke weren’t texting directly, so there was no indicator for him if Luke would hug him for a greeting or even look at him when they saw each other next time, more like tomorrow. That all made it hard to fall asleep. No matter how dark his room was, how soft the blanket, how silent the house once everyone sought out their bed, his brain refused to shut off, feeding him with every possible scenario and outcome of the next day.  </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Another day meant a new day to be spent in hell that was called school.</p>
<p>If you asked Luke and Bobby, it was the epitome of torture while wasting away their time around ignorant teachers and rude students and pointless lessons that the school was trying to teach them for their ‘future lives’ as if Bobby and Luke weren’t 100 % sure what the future would bring them. To them there was only the band. Luke was the first to believe they could actually get big and famous, playing in venues that were greater than the cafes and bars they played in these days, but Bobby was quick to support Luke’s dream until it was his too.</p>
<p>Alex and Julie would counter steer, seeing valuable lessons in the books and papers that were given to them. Reading through the texts and seemingly endless walls of words, writing their essays with concentration that Reggie and Luke could never archive, pouring hours upon hours in preparations for presentations, making sure their grades held a steady level.</p>
<p>While Julie was doing it purely for her own future and because school came before band (Ray’s words), Alex was still trying to prove his value to his parents, no matter how little words were exchanged between him and his parents, towards his schoolwork as well but Alex was still trying.</p>
<p>Flynn was the person every student hated. When she said she definitely didn’t have enough time to learn and would fail tremendously the red circled 100 would appear on the paper when the teacher gave the test back. She didn’t need to learn as much as the others, she just had a talent for memorising information and vocabulary, getting the best grades among her friends.</p>
<p>All of them agreed she would be the first to go to university, which wasn’t maybe that hard considering most of them weren’t even applying, but she would definitely be the one with the best degree out of all of them and would archive grand things. (Her dream job in Julie’s friend book had been first female president but since then had changed into the direction of fashion.) </p>
<p>Willie’s only reason to appear in school was to appease his stepdad. His skater career could kick off as soon as he was ready, but Caleb had said graduate, or they would be no skating, and there was no way Willie would give that up, in no timeline or universe, he would take that thing in his grave.</p>
<p>So he sat through the classes with the others while waiting for the bell to ring so he could go off on his board to the nearest skate park, working on his moves to be ready when graduation rolled around. Caleb didn’t actually say how good his Diploma had to be and that little loophole was used to the maximum.</p>
<p>And Reggie…. Reggie was just there. Like Luke he was of the opinion this band of them could work out, but he also shared Julie’s sentiment. There were a few classes he enjoyed attending, and he was working through his homework so he could get B’s and C’s to get at least a halfway good diploma, proving to his foster parents they didn’t spend all the money for him for nothing but he knew he could do better. It just didn’t work out for him.</p>
<p>Because just being there didn’t equate to good grades no matter how hard he concentrated on focusing on the teacher or board because concentrating on it made him lose focus even faster. Until now he had not found a solution, so he just sat in his chair and wrote down every word that reached his brain when he was shaking off the fog in his brain.</p>
<p>History was one of the worst classes for him because the teacher would go on and on in his lecture, walking up and down in front of the board only now and again writing dates on it, which Reggie couldn’t assign to any specific event, and the voice lulled Reggie into other worlds, until the teacher coughed from talking so long and Reggie was snapped out of his stupor to more dates on the board which meant nothing to him.</p>
<p>The only reason he could go through the class was knowing that lunch came right after. It was the hopeful shimmer on the horizon for him. Escaping boring history events for a while to talk with his friends.</p>
<p>As every day the group met at their lunch table.</p>
<p>Not so usual was the seating arrangement. Reggie was fairly early, exceptionally the first with the girls to be there and when Luke came in with Alex he didn’t sit down on the free space next to Reggie but instead squeezing between Flynn und Julie who gave him her well known death stare but he did his best to ignore her and picked at his potatoes. What you didn’t see couldn’t hurt you, or so.</p>
<p>“Uh…okay then.” Alex let out and instead settled down next to Reggie, nudging their shoulders together as a greeting when Willie followed to sit halfway on Alex who got his breath knocked out of him.</p>
<p>Bobby came in not long after, only eying the table with a short confused look, then shrugging his shoulders and joining Willie.</p>
<p>During lunch and all of them devouring their food it was uncommonly quite or as Alex perceived it there was tension hanging over the group.</p>
<p>It wasn’t Julie and Flynn who had a pair of hands intertwined behind Luke’s back, and it wasn’t him and Willie who was still cuddled into his side not bothered by the stares of some students around them. Bobby was absorbed into a conversation with Flynn about Carrie’s next performance. That only left Reggie and Luke. And by the way they weren’t looking or speaking with each other directly it was pretty obvious for him.</p>
<p>“So how was your weekend guys?” Alex tried to broach the subject. Could be that they had not so pleasant days behind them as more time spent at home meant more time around their parents and that could lead to arguments and bad mood.</p>
<p>Luke’s head whipped around like he just now realized he was talked to. “Great. I worked on some songs and mum only yelled at me once for my messy room, I take that as a win.” </p>
<p>So it wasn’t Luke, Alex concluded, he seemed sincere and Alex knew when Luke lied, always wearing his emotions on his sleeve, that he didn’t have but that was beside the point.</p>
<p>“And you Reg?”</p>
<p>“Maya, Luky and I made a trip to the pool. Oh they have hotdogs now at the pool but the fries are still bad, I swear someday I’ll get food poisoning from them. But swimming makes me so hungry especially when Luky wants to make a competition out of everything. He could strive for a swimmer’s career when he wasn’t so absorbed in soccer. But it was nice to teach Maya to swim, she’s just so smart you know. If you could’ve seen how fast she picked it up-”</p>
<p>Reggie rambled on about his weekend but Alex found it endearing with how much passion he could talk about his siblings, they were the most important people for him along with his friends, and Alex was glad he had asked, Reggie seemed more relaxed than a few minutes prior when he was staring down his green beans.</p>
<p>“- a friend date with Bobby yesterday. We just had some fun and I could demonstrate my cooking because according to Bobby I’m a walking disaster.”</p>
<p>Alex didn’t see how Luke flinched at the word ‘date’, throwing a glance to Bobby who was unaware of the conversation happening around him. Even though Luke had nothing to be afraid of with Bobby, or so he thought, it was hard to get the jealousy under control again that had flared up. Reminding him that they were all friends and it was normal to spent time with each other he regardless of that couldn’t help but to be disappointed Reggie didn’t ask if he wanted to come around too.  </p>
<p>In the meantime, Alex racked his brain over the question he had asked himself earlier. Reggie had a pretty good weekend too, so what or who was it then?</p>
<p>Willie who had caught on Alex mission to find out what was wrong with the atmosphere wasn’t afraid to take the direct route and straight up asked, “Hey Luke, why are you and Reggie not talking?”</p>
<p>Wow tactful, Alex thought unbelievingly and gawked at his boyfriend, sending him a silent question that said <em>what the fuck dude?</em></p>
<p>Julie, Flynn, and Bobby stopped their own talking now, turning back to the others, following the question and awaiting an answer because they too had felt the shift in the mood but decided to let it slide until band practice.</p>
<p>Luke and Reggie were staring at Willie with different expressions, they weren’t expecting the question, didn’t they just explained the great weekend they had? Reggie’s was more fearful as if he had been caught in the act and Luke looked more angry but guilt was laid underneath the fire in his eyes.</p>
<p>When no one said a word, Julie tapped with her fork against Luke’s that he was holding in a tight grip. “Come on you can tell us everything. It’s weird when you two aren’t talking.”</p>
<p>Without looking at anyone in particular, keeping on staring at the untouched potatoes on his plate Luke searched for an answer. “I broke a string on Reggie’s bass.” Was what he settled on.</p>
<p>Julie ignored the statement for something different. “When were you in the studio, we could have had a writing session?” Because why on earth would Luke sneak into her garage without letting her know he was staying there? He would always text and ask if she was down to do some working and then later, he would be invited in for dinner. It’s what they had always done. Now she was wondering what Luke was hiding.</p>
<p>Alex meanwhile squinted his eyes at Luke, trying to make out if he had been lying, he was sure this wasn’t the whole truth, he just knew after years spent around the boys. He wouldn’t say he could read them liken an open book, but he read the summary and knew the essentials. And Luke was easy to read but Alex didn’t want to press the matter in the middle of the cafeteria where he was sure Luke wouldn’t open up. It was best to catch him alone.</p>
<p>The only one who wasn’t staring at Luke after he admitted to having touched Reggie’s bass (no one was allowed to) was Reggie himself. In surprise he had allowed himself one look at Luke but averted his eyes not shortly after to avoid catching his gaze and seeing the various emotions playing there.</p>
<p>Now he was trying to make out why Luke would be lying for him. Why make an effort after what he had done? Why would Luke get in the crossfire for him? Bobby was already berating him for laying a finger on the red bass and asking if he was playing with Bobby’s guitar too when he wasn’t around, and Luke had to talk his way out without his other friends getting angry at him too. That wasn’t fair to him, but Reggie also couldn’t say the truth. There were no words left in him, only confusion.</p>
<p>The others then asked if Luke at least apologized because normally Reggie was quick to forgive but Reggie didn’t seem as if he was over it. That must have been the last straw for Luke cause the got up and straight up left, leaving his plate on the table, only taking his bag over one shoulder and leaving his astonished friends behind while the doors swung behind him.</p>
<p>Reggie felt even more guilty now, staring at the doors until they stilled, Luke long gone, probably skipping his last classes.</p>
<p>He did such a terrible thing and Luke was suffering because of it, because of him, it was clear to his eyes, it’s why he avoided <em>really</em> looking at Luke. The heartache had been visible there. Luke’s fire was dulled, and Reggie didn’t want to give himself credit for being so amazing that someone could miss his presence so bad, but it wasn’t hard to miss that Luke was down. It was visible in the way he moved and talked and mostly how he left everyone behind without letting his frustration out in form of a mess of words and flailing arms like he usually did.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Wednesday came around and the band members found themselves in the studio with Julie jingling a melody from one of their older songs on the piano, head in one of her hands. Bobby and Reggie were seated next to each other on the couch, strumming their instruments, making sure they were tuned so they could get started as soon as Luke bolted through the doors. Alex sat behind his drums, eager to start to get the energy out that had accumulated over the days.</p>
<p>Technically they would have rehearsed yesterday too but Luke texted them he couldn’t come so they put off practice for bonding time. Alex and Julie searching for the right nail polish for Bobby and Reggie, keeping them still to not spill anything or rubbing off the paint on their clothes. Alex would’ve killed them if anything came near his beloved hoodie, it’s why he did Reggie’s nails, still not trusting Bobby even years after the accident.</p>
<p>Afterwards they had watched a movie. According to the list it was Julie’s turn to decide and she picked Spirited Away, cuddling Reggie when they were close to crying at the end, Bobby only shaking his head and getting a comment in return. “It’s not our fault you’re so emotionally constipated Bobberton.”</p>
<p>But today Luke promised to come and make up for the missed time. Usually it was him who scolded them for wasting any time that could be used for practicing, always the next gig in mind and what could come out of it.</p>
<p>So now they were just waiting for him, Alex checking his phone every few minutes to look for any messages. Luke was notorious for being late but not for rehearsal. This was sacred for him and he would sneak out of his room for this when he was grounded. (He actually did once, earning him a disappointed stare from Alex, who had ushered him home before his parents could notice him gone).</p>
<p>When the doors finally burst open, Reggie flinched on his seat from the impact of the door on the wall, looking up to see Luke taking long strides towards his guitar who gave them all a big grin in return. “You guys ready or what?”</p>
<p>Ignoring the irritated looks of his bandmates Luke turned around and fiddled with the amp and making sure the mic was the right height.</p>
<p>Reggie loved Luke’s smile, especially the big one that was saved for exciting news regarding the band and for his best friends, but this wasn’t the smile Reggie knew by heart, could summon the picture in his head whenever he wanted. It seemed … forced? Yeah, forced was the right word. The muscles around his mouth seemed strained as if Luke had to make an effort to uphold the smile on his face.</p>
<p>Now Reggie couldn’t bear to look at it anymore, knowing it was only a shield for something beneath. He wouldn’t call Luke out for it. That would be unfair on his part, leaving the talk for Alex or Julie for when they noticed and hoping he wouldn’t be around for that. It was hard to look Luke in the eyes as it was now, and he wondered when that would change.</p>
<p>How much time must pass before they could get back to their usual banter and body contact? Reggie wished for an arm around his shoulders or a sideway hug, but that had to wait he supposed. He would wait for Luke to make the first step when he was ready. Even if it turned out he needed months or years Reggie would wait here for him. He would do so much for him if Luke would allow it. But it’s too soon Reggie suspected.</p>
<p>When they all took their places without any other words spoken, Bobby and Reggie flanking Luke and Julie sitting on the piano, Alex counted them in from behind and they started with the first song, going through the usual order, until they would practice new songs at the end when they were all warmed up.</p>
<p>The air inside the studio heated up with them jumping around and moving constantly and soon their shirts clang to their bodies and sweat was dripping down their faces. Especially Alex was heaving in breaths from working the drums so hard. Bobby was fetching himself a towel, rubbing over his face and the hair that fell over his eyes.</p>
<p>Reggie eyed Luke from the side when he was sure the other wasn’t looking, arguing with Julie over a line, and he felt his breath pick up when he saw Luke’s back muscles working through the tank top that revealed far more than should be appropriate.</p>
<p>Most of the time Reggie was distracted from his arms, how they moved when Luke strummed his guitar, but now when his back was turned, he marvelled at the muscles there, calling to mind how it felt to drag his hands over Luke’s back the last time they kissed when Luke pushed him against the door. How it felt to be pressed up against him when they were lying in Luke’s bed, with Luke over him and then cuddled side by side when he woke up in the morning.</p>
<p>It was almost too much, Luke wasn’t even doing anything consciously, but Reggie was melting right there on his spot from memories playing in his mind and from the sight before him.</p>
<p>Not falling deeper into the longing that pulled at his heartstrings, Reggie snapped himself out of it and averted the gaze to see Alex already looking at him but shaking his head with a smirk. Reggie wasn’t sure what to make out of it and was relieved when they kept going.</p>
<p>Reggie was glad his breathing could be attributed to their wild performing and didn’t raise any further suspicion. He was almost ashamed at himself; how easy Luke could wind him up without even sparing him a glance or laying a hand on him, just his presence was enough for Reggie’s thoughts to run havoc with images.</p>
<p>Regarding the situation it could be worse, they sounded okay actually, even with the strained relationship between two of them. Alex had the perfect place to watch them all and was noticing every little motion that wasn’t normally there. How Luke was turned away a bit from Reggie, more to Bobby and when Luke didn’t jerk his head to command Reggie over, he raised an eyebrow but holding the beat until the song was over. </p>
<p>Bobby noticed how Reggie’s bass line wavered whenever he would let his gaze wander over to them, looking over Luke to Julie and him, not putting his full energy into his lines when he stepped to the mic.</p>
<p>Julie, with her back almost fully turned to them, couldn’t see any of that happening but she also noticed how the sound was off. Not playing together as nice as usual. But she powered through, giving it her everything, one couldn’t be perfect all the time and that was okay.</p>
<p>After two hours of almost uninterrupted playing it was almost time for dinner and Julie wanted to ask if they wanted to join her family for it, but Luke beat her to it, stating he had to leave without any further explanation. Only packing his things together and leaving through the door, much like yesterday when he left them in the cafeteria, only the hinges were squeaking more, making Reggie cringe at the noise.</p>
<p>While the others exchanged confused glances, their instruments still in hand, Reggie busied himself with packing away his bass and searching for his water bottle that must have rolled under the couch.</p>
<p>“Hey Reg.”</p>
<p>Reggie turned around to see Julie looking at him expectantly, still sitting nonchalant on the piano bench with her hands hanging between her knees.</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“Do you know what’s going on with Luke? Did he text you or anything? Talked to you maybe?” Now her eyebrows were pinched with concern and Reggie realized he wasn’t the only one effected by Luke’s behaviour. Of course their friends were picking up on Luke’s mood and making assumptions on their own.</p>
<p>“No, why?” Reggie tried to be as casual as possible.</p>
<p>“Because he’s not acting himself?” Alex picked up, standing up behind his drums and gesturing with his sticks. “When has he ever just left without a real goodbye, turning down a free meal? And he seems subdued, don’t know, just … it’s not Luke. And we thought maybe you knew something.”</p>
<p>Reggie swallowed around his dry throat, being put on the spot like that wasn’t pleasant and what could he say without revealing too much? If Luke didn’t talk to any of them then Reggie shouldn’t be either. Hurting Luke further with going behind his back was the last of his intentions.</p>
<p>“Maybe it’s just his mum again and he’s tired about talking about the same thing every time?” Reggie went with the obvious and most believable story. Did he feel bad for lying? Yes. Was it for the best though? Absolutely. “He’ll come around when he’s ready. You guys know how he gets. Luke will carve in eventually and then we have a big cuddle pile on the couch, and everything will be okay again.” It was almost too easy to fabricate the story.</p>
<p>Julie nodded and put her notes together. Bobby snapped at his suspenders still deep in thought as if he was pondering about what Reggie said but giving up eventually and went to the bathroom to wash his face. If he would face Ray, he should at least present himself with a clean appearance.</p>
<p>Alex though didn’t drop the matter so fast, walking up next to Reggie and putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a great friend Reg. Tell me when Luke is ready to talk about it?” And then pulling Reggie in for a short hug and planting an overexaggerated kiss on his forehead before he stowed away his sticks neatly, joining Bobby by the door, eager for some food after they used up most of their energy.</p>
<p>Reggie hasn’t moved from his spot, staring at the wood in front of him, Alex words echoing in his head. <em>You’re a great friend Reg. You’re a great friend. You’re great- </em>Only coming to the surface when Julie poked him in the side and gestured with her head to the open doors where Alex and Bobby must have left already. She pinned him with an asking look, but he plastered on a smile he could pull off even in his sleep and looped his arm through hers, tugging her with him, following the smell that must be Ray’s cooking.</p>
<p>But one question still remained and couldn’t be shaken off through the family dinner: When will the guilt stop?</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>An uneventful Thursday turned into Friday and Reggie still hadn’t found an answer. Well, it has only been two days so maybe that’s why, but Reggie had never been good with patience, his energy all over the place and ready to be used up. Waiting was not his strong suit and he was suffering from not knowing. But that was just fair because Luke was suffering more and after all it was Reggie’s own damn fault. He could be angry at himself and his actions for however long he wanted but it wouldn’t change anything. And it wouldn’t help either.</p>
<p>Strumming the strings on his bass with force wasn’t enough to put his bad thoughts out into the world, even when he discarded the pick in favour of plucking with his fingers till they were raw. Playing too long into the night also brought Susan on and her screaming at him to be silent wasn’t better than wallowing in self-pity so he ditched his bass after one night and rummaged through all his comics and older ones that Bobby had gifted him hoping that the superheroes and their adventures could help his mind find some peace or it would be hard to fall asleep again.</p>
<p>And Reggie loved sleep. It was his way of shutting out the world, turning off all the loud voices and noises coming through the door, leaving his thoughts to be picked up the next day, not worrying for a few hours. His dreams weren’t always pretty but the world wasn’t either so he couldn’t complain.</p>
<p>Since before the whole kissing Luke disaster (the kissing part wasn’t the disaster that part was very much likeable, but everything that came after could very well be called disaster) said friend with tousled hair and hazel eyes would appear in his dreams, which made waking up even harder. Not every one of those dreams was modest or innocent and a blush formed on Reggie’s cheeks whenever he remembered one of those, the pictures branded in his mind and he would never ever admit of ever having them in the first place.</p>
<p>But it wasn’t hard for his mind to come up with half naked Luke in his dreams when he used every chance he got to abandon his shirts, always running hot and providing Reggie with a perfect view of his body and in turn Reggie would get hot all over, gulping down his bottle of water, trying to look anywhere but Luke while Julie was unimpressed with an almost naked Luke dancing in front of her and Bobby rolling his eyes at Luke for showing off.</p>
<p>Not that he had seen anything like that this week. Luke was too busy with storming off whenever the topic of a conversation focused on him and why he was in a sour mood for the last days. Reggie never participated in those questionings, rather shuffling his feet and studying the ground with his hands in his jacket. For that he wasn’t subtle either he was amazed nobody picked up on him. Maybe they thought he was still sulking over the broken bass string.</p>
<p>He tried to get his friends in dropping the matter altogether to get Luke some free space, it’s the least he could do. Luke should feel comfortable around the group without fear of being questioned every day just because his head was hanging lower than usual.</p>
<p>The only time Luke would participate with his energetic self was in the discussion about Flynn’s birthday. She would be turning 18 this Saturday, perfect for celebrating in, and they had planned her party for weeks.</p>
<p>It was decided for the party to be hold at Willie’s place. It was the most spacious beside the Molina household. Julie wanted to play host for her girlfriend’s birthday party, but no way Ray would allow it, he was trusting, but not <em>that </em>trusting and that probably benefit him. Who knows who Flynn would all invite? And Julie had to maintain an image in front of her dad, and it wasn’t party girl.</p>
<p>Through her networking Flynn met a lot of people and gained friends through her fashion interests, exchanging ideas with her group of people. Of course, they were invited. Some more people from school would be there, but just the chill kind of guys you wouldn’t have to look after, as well as the Dirty Candy members, Nick, and some other lacrosse players, and the usual crowd.</p>
<p>Willie and the others pooled money to get Willie’s stepfather Caleb a ticket for a show one city over so he had to rent a hotel room and they would be free until the next day, enough time to tidy the place and pretending as if they had a relaxed sleepover. Chips would still be there, and they won’t fall into bed until the early morning hour, but the soda would be exchanged for alcohol and they would definitely not wear any pyjamas. Not if Flynn could have a decision in there.</p>
<p>So when they sat around their lunch table today they were all excited and talked about last minute plans. Alex would take the car and they could load the stuff in there, bringing it over to Willie’s and when he gave the sign his dad was gone, they could start decorating. Flynn would come last to have at least some kind of surprise.</p>
<p>Reggie and Luke weren’t trusted to get the cake by themselves, so Bobby would go along to make sure the cake would reach its destination in one piece. Willie knew enough people who could get a hold of alcohol, they just had to pay them, and their plan came together.</p>
<p>They all pitched in for the playlist, it was chaotic to say the least, but like this everyone would have fun and it couldn’t get boring. They would have to wait for the reaction of their guests though for having to listen to Taylor Swift and One Direction, and then The Offspring right after.</p>
<p>It would be the most fun they had in ages, it would be a mess, but it was their mess, and that was what counted. And that Flynn had fun.</p>
<p>When the boys reached Willie’s home, carrying the cake while Bobby led the way everyone let out a breath, pleased to see the cake in its whole glory. Bobby though wasn’t as pleased with the mood he had to endure and that hang over them for the whole way. It was so weird to see his friends not easy going around each other. He wasn’t as concerned as Alex or Julie, keeping himself out of the discussions, but this was definitely weird. And the fact that he noticed that, because he was emotionally unavailable as the others said, was not good. It meant there really was something and the others weren’t just worrying over nothing.</p>
<p>Today was not the day to discuss this though. Today was a day to celebrate. One only turned 18 once. Well, and 19, and 20, but whatever. 18 was important. Adulthood was right around the corner. Not that the boys had changed much once they reached the holy age, just as playful and full of dumb ideas as before but one could pretend to be wiser.</p>
<p>Coming into the house, they saw the banners being hang up from Alex who was the tallest out of all of them. Nonetheless it was strange to see him standing on a ladder, with his fear of heights and all.</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t look down Lex, then you won’t get sick.”</p>
<p>“Haha Reg, you’re so funny.” Alex pretended to laugh from his high place, focusing on the last banner hanging straight, his need for accuracy coming through.</p>
<p>Willie who stood at the base of the ladder flashed Alex a big smile. “Don’t worry hotdog, I would catch you.”</p>
<p>Alex let out a scandalized sound. “Was that supposed to be reassuring? You ran me over first time we met. I wouldn’t trust you with that. Reminding me, why are you standing there watching over me?”</p>
<p>Coming down the ladder, Alex felt the wobbliness of his knees leave right away and pressed a small kiss on Willie’s lips to show he wasn’t serious, Willie winding his arms around him. “Nevermind, I feel totally safe in your arms.”</p>
<p>While the other boys let out gagging noises over the display of fondness, Julie took over the cake, putting it in the fridge. “Flynn is coming in an hour and the other guests in two. We have enough time for some pre drinking.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you usually hold the pregame at another place?” Reggie pitched in.</p>
<p>“Julie just saw too many European shows.” Luke said and stood behind Julie, messaging her shoulders. “Just relax a bit, this party will be great, and Flynny mouse will declare her undying love for you.” After a high pitched <em>Excuse me? </em>From Julie he added, “Okay, okay, you already declared your undying love for each other, we get it, you’re a perfect couple, now chill alright?”</p>
<p>Luke’s talk sounded way bitter than probably intended but went ignored by everyone (in favour of making sure the place was perfect) than Reggie, who felt embarrassed to witness the display of hurt that stemmed from him. It was always him, slowly Reggie felt way too self-absorbed. All the time he thought about <em>his </em>actions, it was <em>his</em> doing, <em>his </em>feelings.</p>
<p>Before he could avert his gaze, Luke lifted his head and their eyes locked. For a moment Reggie thought time was paused and the movements around him slowed.</p>
<p>Luke’s cheeks were tinted with red, from carrying the cake all the way here, which shouldn’t be demanding for Luke, and Reggie wondered how his own face looked. Luke always teased him with how easily Reggie would blush and how prominent the colour stood out from his pale skin. Reggie didn’t want to admit he was being easily flustered, but in this moment, with Luke staring at him intensely with desire shining through, Reggie had to swallow thickly.</p>
<p>Before he could start squirming under the captivating gaze, Alex pulled him out of it with a hand on his back. Reggie blinked a few times to get back into reality, realizing Alex was talking to him. Ignoring his words to turn back to Luke, he had to discover that he was already gone, nowhere to be found in the room, as if he had magically poofed out and reappeared somewhere else.</p>
<p>“Did you even listen to a word I said?”</p>
<p>“Hm?” Oh right, Alex was talking to him. Why was Reggie so rude all the time, that was no way to treat his friends. He hoped it wouldn’t become a habit. “Sorry, I was thinking about which song I would pick for karaoke later.”</p>
<p>Alex chuckled, observing him with a fond look. “And that is a totally valid question. But I asked if you could help me with the beer. It’s still in my car and I want to cool it. Bobby is too busy drooling over Willie’s movie collection once more, so it would be great if you could help me.”</p>
<p>Reggie nodded and they walked outside to retrieve the cases. When they got back Luke was still gone and Reggie was a bit disappointed, even though he wouldn’t acknowledge it.</p>
<p>He was totally not gone for Luke. What he had was a stupid crush at one of his best friends. It was bound to happen with how much time they all spent together and how Luke was willingly giving away touches and compliments, captivating him with his radiant energy, singing at him merely inches away, pulling him in with his voice like a siren.</p>
<p>It could have easily been Bobby with his appearance matching Reggie, and his cool persona, charming everyone in a one mile radius around him, shredding on the guitar, and if it weren’t for his sleeves he would sport the same toned arms as Luke, making Reggie stare.</p>
<p>Alex and Julie were already in a relationship and Reggie respected that, so no crushes on them, even though crushes didn’t work like that. You couldn’t just pick someone, and Reggie was slightly mad it had to be Luke his heart decided on.</p>
<p>Luke was too perfect for him and Reggie could never reach his standards. He wouldn’t even try, Reggie knew himself, he was uncoordinated, clumsy, made jokes at the worst times possible, couldn’t read the room when it was important, forgot stuff all the time, got too attached too easily, knew every cheesy pick up line that made people roll their eyes, was too dumb for half his classes, and his country songs weren’t half as good as Luke’s compositions.</p>
<p>Before Reggie could drift off too deep into self-pity, he stole some chips from the kitchen when nobody was looking and searched for Willie. He never asked any questions, unless Alex asked him for help, and would be the safest to be around right know.</p>
<p>After Flynn arrived and was done marvelling at the decorations and kissed Julie saying thank you over and over, other people started arriving and soon the place was packed, the room full of laughter and clinking of bottles. Some people singing along, some dancing, some just talking with others.</p>
<p>It was a happy elated atmosphere and it lifted Reggie’s spirits, letting him hope this party would be a good one and nothing would happen. This time he would <em>really</em> stay away from Luke. No flirting with anyone, as that plan turned south pretty quickly last time, his best shot for today was to stay around his friends.</p>
<p>He abandoned Julie and Flynn way faster than he considered possible, their lips way more interesting than him and Reggie wouldn’t want to interrupt on that. It was weird to see his friends like this and hoped Alex and Willie weren’t in the same situation. Through most of the time they were more aware of their surroundings and weren’t keen on making out in the open.</p>
<p>Like he predicted they were standing close but weren’t attached at their lips, instead they roped him in a game of beer pong, and oh was Reggie was bad at hitting a target. This game was destined to make him drunk. With his and Alex pre shots and the bottles of beer he had consumed while watching the crowd lazily, he could feel the effects on him not shortly after they had started.</p>
<p>Him and the other guy didn’t have a chance against Alex and Willie, they were a well-rehearsed team, but to his luck they didn’t abandon him there and dragged him with them to the dance floor. There Reggie bumped into Bobby, without company, and decided to dance with him, leaving Alex and Willie to do their own, he couldn’t match their dancing skills anyways.</p>
<p>It was always fun to dance with Bobby; they could get goofy without worrying about anything else. At one point Reggie pulled Bobby in with an imaginary fishing pole and Bobby crashed into him, the two almost tumbling to the ground. The high energy left their chests heaving and they trailed back to the kitchen, catching something cold to drink. Bobby held a bottle of bear to his head, cooling his forehead while Reggie poured some shots for them. Downing his own he poured another one right away.</p>
<p>“Damn, Reg, what do you wanna forget tonight? Saw an old flame of yours?” Bobby asked and reached for his own shot.</p>
<p>“Yeah, because there are so many.” Reggie laughed half heartily, eyeing the bottle and contemplating on the third shot, the other one still burning in his throat.</p>
<p>How he said it must have been too self-deprecating because Bobby took a hold on his shoulders while Reggie was holding on the bottle with on hand and looked at him deeply. “Reg, you are a catch! You’re sexy, you’re funny and most of all good looking.” Bobby stilled for a second. “Wait, I already said that. Anyways, get out there and find your Juliet, or Romeo, or anything in between.”</p>
<p>With a pat on his cheek, Bobby pulled away and left him alone in the kitchen, still hung up on the moment.</p>
<p><em>His Juliet, or Romeo, or anything in between. </em>They had ended in a disaster too. A very big disaster, a catastrophe. They had died and while Reggie didn’t think him and Luke would experience the same fate, he couldn’t help but see a sign in Bobby’s declaration. No good would come out of it and that was the end of that.</p>
<p>Finally hitting back his shot, his surroundings becoming a bit blurry, the lights simply orbits in his field of view. That’s how he liked it. When everything was floaty, and his body wasn’t as heavy, and his thoughts were slow, unable to form a rational thought. For safety measure he took a swing straight from the bottle so the effect couldn’t wear down anytime soon. He wanted to float for a bit longer and not think about catastrophes.</p>
<p>Reggie had lost Bobby and couldn’t find him again in the sea of people, Julie and Flynn were undetectable, and he saw Alex serenading Willie in the corner, always gaining courage to sing at karaoke when his drunkenness reached a high enough level. He smirked at the sight, it was rare to see a flustered Willie, but singing his favourite song at him did the job. It reminded him of Luke and how he sang with such passion, Reggie able to see every word forming when he was near him on the mic.</p>
<p>No, stop, no thinking about disasters, Reggie. Or he would’ve made a stop at the kitchen again.</p>
<p>As his friends were all preoccupied, Reggie made a beeline for the backdoor, in search of some air. He could dance later and then eat a big piece of cake, but right know he needed fresh air, the people around him restricting him. On his way out he could hear his name being called, but he wasn’t in the mood for talking in the moment, and there was no way he could give any meaningful answers, his tongue was too heavy to form enough words.</p>
<p>He closed the door behind him and took a few extra steps down the small stairs and leaning against a wooden pillar that held the porch canopy.</p>
<p>The silence stood in big contrast to the laughing and thumping of the music inside but for Reggie it was just what he needed.</p>
<p>It was not dark enough to see any stars and for him they looked more like star piles than any individual suns after the Tequila, but he always liked looking at them. One day he would drive far out the city and go stargazing. Laying on a blanket down on the grass and admiring the beauty of the night sky. Maybe he could take Maya and Lukas with him, show them different constellations he learned about on the internet.</p>
<p>Dropping the gaze, he could make out the pool, the water glistening in the moon light. He always wanted to go for a midnight swim but today was not that day. He wasn’t keen on drowning because he was dumb enough to go swimming alone in the middle of the night while drunk.</p>
<p>He searched in his pockets for a cigarette, glad to have his lighter on him for once and letting the smoke fill his lungs as soon as it was lit. It wasn’t diminishing his drunken state, but holding the cigarette alone calmed him and his heart was beating too fast for him to be comfortable. His neck was prickling, and Reggie wondered why his body was on high alert. As he was aware, he was out here alone.</p>
<p>Or not.</p>
<p>Without dropping his cigarette out of fright, he turned his head to see another person coming down the steps, joining him. Reggie didn’t even need to see the face to know it was Luke. His mood was too good to let out any troubled sigh, it wasn’t like he was avoiding Luke in general, just on the party. And he failed. But it wasn’t too late to get inside again, leaving Luke outside on his own, but Reggie couldn’t move a muscle beside moving up his arm to smoke.</p>
<p>Luke didn’t say anything when he stopped next to Reggie. Fixating a spot out in the garden, looking ahead instead of looking at Reggie. Reggie wasn’t sure if he would have survived under the gaze of Luke, not a second time. He would carve, but he had to be strong.</p>
<p>Finishing his cigarette slowly, he stomped out the butt under his heel, unsure what would come next. But he didn’t have to ponder long.</p>
<p>“I miss you Reg. And I’m so sorry.”</p>
<p>Reggie was confused. Why should Luke apologize out of all people? His only offense was being charming and too good looking for his own good. It was Reggie who should plead down on his knees for Luke to not call off their friendship.</p>
<p>“Reg please, can you look at me?” Luke’s voice was strained and when Reggie slowly turned his head, he could see the sadness. It was the last thing he wanted to see. They were standing shoulder against shoulder, their hands almost touching were their arms were hanging next to their bodies. Reggie just had to move an inch and he could hook their pinkies together. But he held back. He could do it.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Reg. For putting you on the spot like this. It wasn’t fair of me to assume we were heading towards something more. I was just too caught up in the moment. Kissing you made my head all mushy, and well, that makes thinking very hard.”</p>
<p>Thank god, it was dark. Reggie could fell the flush creeping up his neck and face and he averted the gaze for a short moment so he could prepare himself. He was still confused about the situation. Luke had apologized. For what? He didn’t do anything wrong really.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to apologize to me. It was me who was in the wrong. I shouldn’t have kissed you without making sure what we are.”</p>
<p>“I don’t care what we are. All I know is I want to kiss you again.”</p>
<p>“Luke … this thing between us, it won’t work out.” It was so hard. So hard to reject Luke when he was standing there like this. So close to him he could almost feel his hair on his skin. How could he push him away?</p>
<p>“There doesn’t have to be anything Reg. As long as I can keep kissing you, I’m happy.” His voice cracked a bit. “I can’t stay away from you Reg. Please give me at least this. I will be okay, I swear.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” This sounded too good. There had to be catch right?</p>
<p>“Please Reg, can I kiss you again? Like right now?” Luke didn’t seem to be bothered that he sounded so desperate, and really, how could Reggie say no to that?</p>
<p>“Yes- of course.” Reggie stammered out before he could back out.</p>
<p>Luke’s lips were instantly on him, pressing hard, chasing the last high they had shared a week ago. It had been too long for either of them and now they had to make up for it. Luke slipped his hand in Reggie’s hair, tugging on the strands to keep him close and alternatively massaging across his scalp.</p>
<p>Reggie was getting dizzy from stimulation. The hand, the lips dancing across his skin, the tongue that dipped into his mouth. His body was getting all mushy and he was glad again that Luke had an arm snaked around his middle, holding him up or he would’ve slid down the pillar. Holding on for dear life on Luke’s shoulder, he couldn’t stop the strangled noise escaping him, but it was instantly swallowed by Luke with his lips still working against him.</p>
<p>Luke pressed a thigh against his middle and Reggie gasped from the sudden touch. If his mouth hadn’t been this occupied, he would’ve moaned embarrassingly loud.</p>
<p>When both of them needed air, they parted but their foreheads were still touching, not ready to lose the contact yet, needing to feel the other close.</p>
<p>“Oh my god.” Luke breathed out and Reggie smiled.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Reggie agreed.</p>
<p>Reggie thought Luke would connect their lips again but instead he dipped lower to his jaw and his throat, leaving featherlight kisses there and Reggie’s eyes fluttered shut. Now it was on him to bury his hand in Luke’s hair to guide him to his favourite spots. Luke sucked on the skin, but Reggie wasn’t worried about a hickey when it was this good, he hoped it would never end.</p>
<p>When Luke moved his lips over to his collarbone and then up again to his face, Reggie was already panting, and he had to swallow thickly when he saw Luke’s red and puffy lips. They looked so kissable and Reggie couldn’t hold back, the need to put his lips on Luke too big to ignore, so he used the hold on Luke’s hair to pull him closer and kissed him again. This time it was him who let his tongue swirl over Luke’s lower lip and parted his lips to deepen the kiss.</p>
<p>Luke’s groan that came deep from his chest, left Reggie’s legs shaking.</p>
<p>They really shouldn’t do this outside where everyone could see. At any moment someone could come through the door for a breather just like Reggie did, and would see them making out at the end of the steps, pressed against each other and hands wandering under shirts to map out the skin. But it was thrilling to be in the open like this, one second away from being caught.</p>
<p>Luke used Reggie’s distraction to drag his hands over the edge of his pants, snapping at the waistband, bringing Reggie back to reality.</p>
<p>A desperate moan escaped Reggie. He had missed this. Missed it so much, thinking he would never get a taste again. But here he was. Trembling under Luke’s hands, letting out little gasps in between kisses, his lips swollen, but he was the happiest he had ever been.</p>
<p>“Luke, wait, wait a moment okay.” Reggie needed to breath or he would die right here on the spot. Luke was riling him up and whatever they would start now Reggie wouldn’t be able to stop.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” Luke was concerned so fast it made Reggie smile sweetly from the gesture.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Too good. Can we – Could we go back to yours? I don’t want to do this here in the open.”</p>
<p>Luke looked him up and down and smiled smugly. Reggie had to be a sight, coming apart from Luke’s hands so fast.</p>
<p>“Sure, let me get our things and meet here again.”</p>
<p>Reggie nodded and when Luke vanished inside, he sat down on the steps, dragging his hands over his face. “What am I doing here?” He whispered to himself.</p>
<p>Every wall he had built up around him came crushing down, just because Luke looked at him with a sweet smile and took him into his arms and pressed a kiss against his lips. It was all too confusing, and he pushed his conflicting thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time to contemplate the pro and contra of his doings. Maybe he should’ve but in that moment Luke slipped outside and all the resistance crumbled again.</p>
<p>On their walk to Luke he felt sober enough to know this wasn’t an entirely crazy idea born out of the Tequila he had downed before. And later when he laid in Luke’s bed, losing his clothes to the floor, he felt so alive, this had to be the right thing. Here with Luke next to him, his lips all over him, coaxing noises out of him he didn’t deem possible, he wondered how this could ever be wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is that make out scene still Teen or already Mature? I'm not sure what to rate this story, let me know what you think. And I hope it wasn't too cringy.</p>
<p>Me: Why can't Reggie and Luke talk out their feelings?<br/>Also me: Writing them this way so everyone gets frustrated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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